Reformed Anew
by toastedCroissants
Summary: AU- Ulrich's father decides that he needs desperately to whip his ungrateful son in shape. Finding it the only way in doing so, he sends Ulrich off to his uncle's farm, where the young teenager meets a witty librarian, a shy florist, and the stoic daughter of a fellow farmer. Between all the disciplinary acts, one catches his eye—but summer is all he has until he leaves again.. U/Y
1. Ironic Gestures

**Disclaimer: This story was inspired from "The Flower Shop" by V Novel.**

* * *

"I wasn't really geeky. In terms of the high school hierarchy, I was very much in the middle ground. You have the really popular guys, you have the nerdy guys, and then you have the people who really don't care—and that was me. I wasn't really picked on or anything like that."

-Callan McAuliffe

* * *

Chapter 1: Ironic Gestures

Good looks? Check.

Hot girlfriend? Check.

Extensive bank account? Check.

Popular? Check.

Ulrich Stern had these four things—and rather unfairly, too. With shaggy hair that effortlessly fell in the right places and a toned body to match, he was the best catch of the sophomore, junior-to-be class.

To most students at Kadic High, he was dubbed as 'One of God's Fallen Angels': perfect beyond comprehension...yet cursed to live on Earth with the rest of its endless sin. Together, these four qualities combined to form the recipe of perfection—and he in fact was just that...Maybe even too perfect. And he didn't spare the slightest care—it was effortless on his part!

He was pompous, and he showed it, silently patronizing everyone.

* * *

The bell rung to signify the end of seventh period. Papers were thrown in the air, excited screams from rowdy high school students erupted, and everyone began their shuffle out the door. Today was a humid, dreary day in France [kind of hard to believe that summer even started].

Ulrich Stern, the aforementioned popular, yet quiet kid in school strutted out the doors of Kadic High, arm-in-arm with his 'girlfriend,' Sissi Delmas. The two were the 'perfect' pair to the entire student body, hence why they were unwillingly (at least in Ulrich's point of view) together. The title was the only thing the relationship was worth, really.

Sissi's locks of raven hair bounced against her lean back as she rambled on about subjects Ulrich truly didn't care about. His brow furrowed, he jutted out his lips in annoyance, wanting badly for her to shut up for even just a second. He decided to stay quiet, though, for he knew that Sissi would eventually stop talking once she noticed that he wasn't responding.

He began to wait patiently...

"So, like, Hervé has totes stalked me around all day," she drawled, sighing in feigned annoyance. Ulrich rolled his eyes. "His pasty skin, bad acne, and scrawny build is a total turnoff.

"Oh, and Ulrich-" She turned to look at him before suddenly hurling a red rose in his direction. "I cannot believe you decided to get me a cheap rose for our anniversary. I thought I made it clear that I wanted an orchid."

"It's the symbol of love," he muttered irritatedly. "Now-"

"Hey, watch where you're going, huh?!" Sissi exclaimed.

Ulrich's dawdling mind refocused itself. Lowering his gaze, he found that Sissi's feet ran into the legs of some goth nobody sitting on the floor with her back against the wall. She had shoulder-length raven hair and was clad in Kadic's uniform like everyone else—but the black choices were more prominent.

The goth flashed Sissi a smirk, looking up from the book she was reading: "Captive in the Dark," by C.J. Roberts. Typical. "Why don't you watch where you're going?" she shot back in a taunting tone. Her eyes held that of mischief, but the rest of her face constantly remained dark, composed. How she managed to pull it off, well, was beyond anyone's knowledge.

Ulrich resisted from quirking an eyebrow. He possessed absolutely no opinion on this; he didn't like Sissi, nor did he associate at all with the goth.

The reason why was simple: a guy like him couldn't _possibly_ be seen hanging around lowlife like her. It was literally in the book of rules that corresponded with the school's hierarchy—a nobleman like himself shouldn't be fraternizing with peasants like her... Not that Ulrich actually followed these rules religiously; he was just expected to. He found it much easier to quietly meet up with his classmates' expectations rather than cause trouble to the 'balance.'

Sissi rose both eyebrows, and her lips remained pursed in their usual hard line. She wasn't amused at all by the goth's outwitting. "Excuse me," she said, her hands on her hips. She cocked her head to the side and shot her a glare. "Do you even know who I _am_?"

The goth sighed indifferently, then examined her nails."Sissi Delmas, the principal's daughter—the noblewoman of the school," she replied with flippancy, getting up and clutching her book to her chest. Sissi raised her head as she did so; she was at least several inches taller. "Yumi Ishiyama, pleased to meet you."

Yumi. Junior. Alluringly beautiful, tall, skinny—but don't be fooled; she can pack a pretty great punch. At first glance, anyone could assume that she had a harsh disposition due to her preferences of black clothing and combat boots—but as we'll find out later, she can actually be a very nice person underneath. Although she can be bold, and maybe stubborn sometimes.

Yumi held out a hand. Another smirk pulled at the corners of her lips as if she was daring Sissi to shake on it. Like she expected, the A-lister of Kadic only looked down in disgust, her brows furrowed in distress. "Get away from me," Sissi replied coldly, trying to stare her down. "It's already generous enough that I actually talked to you."

"What is that?" Yumi nodded towards the flower in Ulrich's hand, completely ignoring Sissi. Her smirked grew even wider. "A rose?"

"Yeah." Ulrich grimaced. "What about it?"

"You? Being romantic?" she scoffed. "I don't buy it for a second."

He held it out to her. "Hah—would you like it, then?" The gesture left Sissi gaping.

Yumi sarcastically smiled back and began her turn around. "Fine, whatever," she replied with airiness, taking the flower from his hand. "Just know that... I'm not going to live under you or your shallow girlfriend, either."

It took a moment for Ulrich's ears to take notice to what she said. "Hey, did you just-!"

Yumi laughed and directed him a teasing wink. Then, like that, she started walking down the hallway, away from the two of them and leaving Sissi utterly speechless. It wasn't until then that Ulrich became thoroughly surprised; usually people shrank away from his girlfriend and quickly backed out. Yumi, however, stayed her ground.

Sissi clenched her fists and exhaled deeply, closing her eyes. Ulrich smirked as she began counting her breaths—she usually did this whenever she was annoyed, and it amused him greatly. "I can't _believe_ her," Sissi said irritatedly. "That's five minutes of my life I won't get back."

Ulrich shook his head and let out an mirthful laugh. Then with that, the two continued their walk towards the front doors.

And of course, his presence was greatly noticed by the rest of the student body.

"Yo, Ulrich, you up for the latest soundtrack of the Subdigitals?" asked Christophe M'Bala as he bobbed his head to the music blaring from his headphones. "Five bucks a piece."

"What is it that he got that I don't have?" muttered Hervé as he jealously watched Ulrich and Sissi walk past him.

Like usual, Kadic's unending and spiraling corridors were decorated with electronic screens displaying conventional news of the school. Neither of them gave notice to the colorful spectacles as they sauntered along—most of the platforms publicized the honor roll and other academic achievements given to the students, all of which Ulrich and Sissi never made it on.

Finally the pair stopped at the front foyer like all the other students, only to find that a steady barrage of rain had made its presence in Paris. It was disappointing, to say the least. Ulrich didn't care so much, however; he could literally imagine his summer vacation now: endless calls from Sissi, gatherings with people he knew didn't give a shit about him, and constant rebukes from his father about his latest report card.

Ulrich withdrew his arm from Sissi and stuffed his hands in his pockets. Now, it was either spend the rest of his day with Sissi, hang with his 'friends,' or go home to a scolding by his father.

Scolding father it is.

From there, he began to plan his escape.

Sissi didn't notice as he quietly slunk away in the direction towards his cabbie. Gripping his backpack strap with his right hand, he threw it in the backseat before he sat himself down up in front.


	2. What? Farm Work?

**Well, I guess I'm getting a bit better with the updates. :) I apologize if this chapter is a bit short, but it's definitely a good stopping point, haha. And I managed to update within two weeks, too, so that's awesome.**

**I would like to thank BreadLoaf, ulrichyumilover, camilleRomance, and Bluedog197 for reviewing, and to everyone else who has decided to follow. ((: You guys are awesome. :D Bluedog197, since I can't personally PM you, I wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed reading your review; it made me laugh a bit. XD And thank you so much for always being there, dear! :)**

**Enjoy the chapter everybody. :) I can't tell when chapter 3 will be up, but feedback is really appreciated. ^~^**

* * *

_"Your age does not define your maturity, your grades don't define your intellect, and rumors don't define who you are_."

-Ritu Ghatourey

* * *

Chapter 2: What? Farm Work?

Ulrich went down to the sitting room to find his father, Seth Stern, reading the newspaper and his mother, Annette Stern, drinking a cup of tea. He walked over to the latter, bending down to plant a kiss on her cheek.

"Hello, Ulrich," Annette greeted happily, grabbing both his hands. The woman was the perfect presentation of their "perfect" home if not for the constant quarreling between her son and husband. Ulrich just adored her—he was forever thankful for the kindness and sympathy she constantly radiated.

Today, her lips were painted with bright red lipstick as she was clothed in a simple burgundy velvet dress that matched the chairs. Her diamond earrings dangled as she shifted her gaze to look up at her son, a smile growing upon her delicate features. "How was school today?" she asked with true kindness, unlike the usual tone his father used.

"Fine, mom," he answered, sauntering over to sit himself down on the chair across aforementioned man. "What's up?"

His father, still noticeably silent, folded up his newspaper and slammed it down on the glass-topped coffee table. Ulrich wasn't fazed the slightest bit as he kept the usual monotonous expression etched into his angular face, and his eyes keenly followed where his father's hands moved as they dug inside his jacket to pull out _the_ envelope with Kadic's seal on it. Ulrich mentally sighed at the sight of it and thought, "_Here it comes_."

Ulrich's father flicked the envelope across the coffee table so that it stopped in front of him. The brunette lowered his gaze to unsurprisingly find his usual disastrous semester grades printed out on thick cardstock:

ULRICH STERN. GRADE 10. CLASS OF 2010.

1\. ENG/AMERICAN LIT. 10: C+

2\. WORLD HISTORY 10: D-

3\. STATISTICS: D

4\. GYM/HEALTH/FIRST AID: P

5\. ALGEBRA II: C-

6\. CHEMISTRY 10: D-

7\. ITALIAN II: B+

TOTAL GPA: 1.62

Withdrawing all the expression from his eyes, Ulrich looked up again to face his father. He mentally counted to three before Seth bursted.

Ulrich's father ran a hand down his face as he slammed the other against the glass of the coffee table. His mother jumped from the sudden flare-up, but immediately placed a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder in attempt to console him. "Ulrich," he called calmly, vigorously rubbing his temples. Despite his current tone, anyone could tell that he was about to erupt soon for the second time. "Haven't you ever thought about the long-term effects of your grades? Haven't you ever thought of college?!" He got up and looked out the window, the rain still a steady downpour.

Ulrich's left eye twitched. It definitely wasn't the first time they had this conversation. Therefore, he only relaxed in his chair. "I don't get the point," he mumbled slowly. "I can always live off of your money-"

Seth shifted his gaze back to his delinquent son. He narrowed his eyes at Ulrich, shooting daggers in his direction. "I will not allow you to think of _my_ money as _your_ safety net. Think of your future wife—don't you want her to be proud of you?"

"Future _wife_?" Ulrich reiterated bitterly. "You mean Sissi?"

"Yes." The faintest smile tugged on the corners of Seth's lips. "From what you told me, she seems worthy. Smart, beautiful, and kind..."

The truth was, a few months ago, Ulrich gave that false description of Sissi to put his father at ease. Sure, most guys at school found Sissi to be extremely sexy—but the girl was actually brain dead at best, and "kind" wasn't even a part of her dictionary. Ulrich dug his fingers into his hair, trying best to block out his father's piercing voice.

"School isn't exactly _easy_, you know," he retorted. "It's _difficult_."

Seth only laughed in response to his feeble answer. "Fine," he said coldly. "Since you've made it clear you don't want get off your lazy ass and do something about your horrid grades, I have made my choice. I am sending you off to my brother's home out in the countryside this summer."

Ulrich widened his eyes. "_What_?"

"He could sure use your help on the farm. Plus, a young woman that goes by the name Aelita Schaeffer will be happy to tutor you in her library."

It was then Ulrich quickly sat up in his chair, now digging his nails into the armrests. "But _dad_!" he screamed, sounding much like a little child. He was shocked, to say the least. "You can't send me off to live with that - _recluse_!"

"Oh, yes I can," Seth fired back. "I gave you the chance. You didn't take it. You will be taught discipline. You will be taught to work for the things you want. _Anything_ to straighten _you_ up!" He pointed an accusatory finger in his direction, then clasped his hands behind his back.

"Go ahead and pack," he lastly ordered. "You're leaving tomorrow morning."

Ulrich rose an eyebrow. "You're kidding," he said. "I'm not leaving-"

"Oh, yes you are, and under my orders!" he yelled.

Ulrich didn't flinch—instead, he kept his head held high. Seth only shook his head and addressed his wife calmly, "Annette, help Ulrich pack."

Surprisingly, Ulrich's mother nodded with absolutely no sign of objection. She turned to give Ulrich a warm smile, ultimately sending shivers down his spine.

His whole life, he thought of her as someone that would support him in his arguments with his father, but he guessed he was wrong. "Don't worry, honey," she said. "You'll be fine. We're only doing this because we love you."

Ulrich clenched his fists. _We're only doing this because we love you_. He hated that phrase with a passion.

He silently shifted his gaze back and forth between his mother and father, realizing he was completely alone. With one last glare, he turned on his heel and began his walk back towards his room, not caring to give a goodbye or accept his mother's help.


	3. Unexpected Visitors

**Wow guys! Six reviews for the last chapter, that's fantastic! :DD I'm sorry if this chap is extremely short, but it's the best I could do for now, heh. I made sure to find a good stopping point, though. :)**

**Well, continue on and read! Enjoy. :))**

* * *

"Speak when you are angry—and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret."

-Laurence J. Peter

* * *

Chapter 3: Unexpected Guests

Shirts from Aeropostale, Quiksilver, and Abercrombie &amp; Fitch were stuffed in his suitcase, all in dissaray. With a continuing dread, pairs of shorts followed, then toiletries and shoes.

This was completely unfair, he continued to think. His dignity was something he actually cared about, and he was throwing it all away to live at some farm.

The ring of a doorbell, and his frustration grew. His parents were already asleep, so who would still be up at this hour? Ulrich pondered this as he descended the staircase and walked towards the front door. "Who is it?" he called out, his tone almost vehement.

The door was shoved in from outside, and Ulrich was forced back to make room for Sissi… then Odd, Theo, Christophe, Emanuel, and many other classmates from Kadic. "What are you doing still in your uniform, silly?" Sissi asked as she playfully pulled at his tie. "Let it go, it's summer!"

"What are you _doing_ here?" the brunette hissed as he forcefully swatted her hands away. He eyed her hot pink trench coat and stiletto pumps. "My parents are _asleep_."

"The after party, remember?" Odd interjected with a goofy smile, pulling out a case of beer. The rest of the company cheered. "School's over, we're free, let's have some fun!" he said.

Ulrich turned his head to find Christophe setting up a DJ table beside the pool, and Emanuel easily hosting ping pong tournaments. Other students started dancing, and drinks were passed around.

Sissi then tugged at his arm, diverting his attention. "Isn't this wonderful?" she asked.

"Wonderful? Go _home_," he said, almost pleading. "Do you _want_ me to get into trouble?"

"Oh, hush," she replied, smirking. "We'll be quiet..."

"With a DJ table? Yeah, totally."

"Come _on_," she purred, seductively tugging at the collar of her coat. Seeing that she wasn't wearing anything under it, Ulrich swallowed thickly. Sissi only giggled at his nervousness.

"Let loose," she then whispered.

Ulrich croaked in feeble reply, "No."

She ignored his response, and proceeded with loosening his tie. "I think that _tonight_, we can hide under the covers, and-"

"Sissi, I don't want that."

"Yes, you do," she pressed. "Everyone does, with _me_."

"Have a drink, Ulrich," Odd interrupted again, holding out a bottle. He gave a pat to his back, unnerving him. "It'll help get your mind off things, good buddy."

"Play some ping pong, too," said Emmanuel, holding up a paddle.

"Swim!" "Dance!"

Ulrich only stood with his reply. "NO!" he yelled, clenching his jaw at the EDM.

"Yes!" squealed Sissi.

"I said _no_," he reaffirmed. "STOP!"

It was a command, and so it did. The music stopped, the dancing stopped, the drinking stopped, and the playing stopped. Ulrich hiked towards the DJ table, and pulled out the plug.

"_Ulrich_!" Sissi screamed.

"Use the _frickin_' coasters!" he only exclaimed, motioning toward the drinks. "Get your _feet_ off the tables." He jostled those that were doing just that.

"What has gotten into you?!" Sissi cried out, clenching her fists. "You completely ditched me after school, you never returned my calls, and now, this?!"

Tears formed in Ulrich's eyes. "I'M ALREADY IN ENOUGH TROUBLE AS IT IS!" he shrieked, turning slowly to get a hard look at everyone. Only confused looks met his gaze, and Ulrich was helpless then.

"...I'M BEING SENT TO WORK AT A **FARM**, OKAY!?" he confessed. Seconds passed without any reply, and he pinched between his eyes out of embarrassment.

Then Odd, with a softened look, dared to speak up. "Ulrich-"

He only bursted, "GET _OUT_ OF MY HOUSE!"

Another voice then followed. "Ulrich? Is that you?" Unnervingly, it was Annette, coming from upstairs.

"_Crap_!"

* * *

**Author's Notes: Whoa, haha, he's angry. XD Anyway, reviews, follows, and/or favorites are very much appreciated, I take them all to heart. :)) I would like to thank BreadLoaf, ulrichyumilover, The Eccentric Gamer, Bluedog197, CamilleRomance, and Laudi14 for reviewing last time, you guys are awesome. :)**

**Bluedog197: Haha, don't worry, this is an Ulumi fic, remember? :)) Thank you so much, and I did mean "P" as in "pass" instead of "fail," haha. ;)**

** Mwah, and see you all later! ^~^**


	4. Leaving

**Hey, everybody, back with a new chapter! :D It's a bit longer, so that's better, I guess. XD Like always, I would like to thank BreadLoaf, ulrichyumilover, The Eccentric Gamer, and camilleRomance for reviewing! :) Thank you so much for all of your kind words! ^~^**

* * *

Chapter 4: Leaving

"Excuse me, but what is the meaning of this?" Annette put her hands on her hips as she descended the staircase, still in her silk pajamas. "I don't remember you telling us that you were having company over, dear.."

Unfortunately, Seth was following close behind, and he had a disconcerting look on his face. He focused his gaze on Ulrich and added, "We need to talk, young man."

Ulrich directed his line of sight towards his parents, then back at his classmates. Becoming a snitch wouldn't be so admirable, he figured. "Mr. and Mrs. Stern, we realized that things _were_ getting a bit too loud..." It was Odd that chose to take the lead, fortunately for Ulrich, "So we were just about to leave, really-"

"Is that so?" Seth shot sarcastically. "Ulrich wasn't alowed to have anyone over _at all_." It was then he walked over, and grabbed the home phone.

"I'm contacting the police," he announce forthrightly, causing solemnity to fill the room. "You kids shouldn't be out alone so late at night."

At that, Odd shrunk back, and, instinctively, Ulrich grabbed Sissi's arm.

"It's your turn," he frantically hissed into her ear. "_You_ screwed up, and it's time for you to live up to it."

"If you really think that's the case, Ulrich _dear_," she scoffed, "You don't know me." Sissi turned to face the rest of them. "We're leaving!"

Without warning, Emmanuel ran towards the door and lugged it open. "Hey!" Seth screamed, unable to leave the phone post as the kids streamed out. Frustrated he didn't know any of them, he slammed the phone out of anger.

"Ulrich, I'm going to rely on you to give me _all_ of their names," he asserted, grabbing the boy's collar.

Ulrich furrowed his eyebrows. "No," he said simply, removing his hands from his shirt. It was then he could notice Seth biting down on his jaw, and his face turning slightly red.

"Honey-!" Annette interjected.

But it was too late. Flexing his hand, he shortly gave Ulrich a hard slap across the face.

"You **irresponsible imbecile**," he seethed as Ulrich sucked air through his teeth. "You think you could get away with this party?!"

"You _asshole_!" Ulrich only cried, placing a hand on his sore cheek.

"Seth, Ulrich-" Annette attempted futilely to console them.

"_Shut up." _Ulrich only lowered his head, stunned, tears once again burning at the back of his eyes. "I'm going up to my room."

The sounds resonated with each step. "There's nothing I can do," he continued on his way up, "to prevent tomorrow from happening." He supposed that if he said the words to himself, it wouldn't cut into him as much as usual.

It worked.

* * *

Ulrich left with his father the next morning. The mere thought of kissing this place goodbye didn't exactly appeal to him, and so he continued giving his father the silent treatment.

The cityscape zoomed past as he looked out the window. He turned the knobs that corresponded with the air conditioner, and placed his free hand against the vent. The boy let out a breathy, sarcastic laugh as the unusual sensation graced his fingertips—and it was oddly refreshing too, with this summer air.

"You're easily amused." Ulrich turned to look at his father, startled.

"Hm, I forgot you even spoke." The teen slumped in his chair, giving him a fleeting glance.

"Still giving me the silent treatment, aren't we?" Seth's eyes remained glued on the road. "Ulrich, this is the perfect opportunity to start over."

Annoyed that Seth was acting as if nothing happened, he bitterly retorted, "And what makes you think I would want _that_?"

"You think I couldn't tell? It's painfully clear that you're disconnected from the rest of your classmates."

"Fat chance."

"Explain the party, then."

Ulrich only jutted out his lips and crossed his arms, slumping even further into his chair. It was then he decided to pull out his phone, wanting desperately for a distraction.

As a result, he brought up Facebook's newsfeed. His notifications sign lit up with a bright red. Meanwhile, a couple recent statuses from his classmates were of the first things he saw, the notable one being Sissi's:

* * *

**Elizabeth Sissi Delmas**

Yesterday at 23:40 near Paris, France

worst after party eveerr! keep it up Ulrich, and youll need to find yourself another gf soon! D: —with **Ulrich Stern** and **26 others**.

44 Likes 6 Comments

* * *

Ulrich didn't necessarily find the "threat" concerning considering he didn't really like her in the first place. Therefore, he merely dismissed the status—but that didn't stop him from opening up the comments out of pure curiosity. Some were from this morning:

**Emmanuel Maillard** and **43 others** like this.

**Julien Xao:** hey, when ur looking for a new bf, can i be a candidate? ;D

**Hérve Pichon:** Back off, she's mine!

**Elizabeth Sissi Delmas:** eww Herve, go away! D;

**Anaïs Fiquet:** tell 'im, gurl!

**Odd Della-Robbia:** chill guys we've put him in enough trouble already.

**Emmanuel Maillard: **but u gotta admit the party was lame

* * *

Ulrich grimaced at a few of them, and frowned even further when he realized that his father may be right. However, he made a mental note to call Odd later.

Ah, Odd Della-Robbia. Also a soon-to-be junior. Known as "Kadic's Casanova," "The Romeo of Today," and also another one of God's fallen angels, he was extremely attractive—and nearly in the same league as Ulrich. His flamboyant personality matched his outlandish hairdo, which was notably spiked to a point. Oh, and purple was his favorite color. He was genuinely a great friend of Ulrich's, one of the few _decent_ people that attended Kadic...Although his bad jokes may be a bit overwhelming at times.

Aside from Odd's, the rest of the statuses didn't really show much else, neither. It was mostly a bunch of complaints about last night, really.

* * *

**Odd Della-Robbia **to **Ulrich Stern**

12 minutes ago near Paris, France

sucks dude that ur dad is doing this to u. But do ur best, good buddy, learn lots, n remember, fish can swim! ~in bocca al lupo! :D

8 Likes

* * *

The brunette shook his head at the eccentric teen's spontaneity, but smiled at the "good luck" in Italian. The message admittedly lifted his spirits up a bit, and as a result, he sighed in temporary content.

Maybe this won't turn out to be so bad after all..?

* * *

**Author's Note: Well, there you go. :) I haven't typed in shorthand since 7th grade, so sorry if it's a bit inaccurate. XD Like it, hate it, let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts! :)**

**Ooh, and ever wondered how the characters look like in Kadic Uniforms, like I depicted in this story? Check out my DeviantART page if you're feeling up to it. ;)**


	5. Ashwick Grove

**Alright, longer chapter this time. ;) I would like to thank those that have reviewed so far. ^~^ I would reply, but it's pretty late. I'll get to it next time I update. :)**

**Enjoy, and feel free to give me any forms of feedback. :))**

* * *

"_No fine work can be done without concentration and self-sacrifice and toil and doubt_."

Max Beerbohm

* * *

Chapter 5: Ashwick Grove

"Long time no see, Seth."

"Ferdinand."

His uncle's farm cottage had an overall rustic look. Built completely out of stone, several chimneys poked out from the roof, with one of them emitting smoke. Colorful flowers decorated the porch and backyard as a large tree stood up front. His property was marked with walls, also made of stone, and some shrubs and plants grew up the house's sides.

Ulrich watched as his father stiffly shook hands with an old man in a plaid shirt and suspenders. It was clear the two weren't at the best of terms—however, it was a given considering five years had passed since they last saw each other.

Crossing his arms, Ulrich let out a sigh. He unceremoniously dumped his luggage on the cobblestone path, and shot a calculating stare towards his uncle.

He didn't like the guy. "Where's my room?" he asked.

"Slow down, son," said Seth, directing a glare. He was suddenly gripping the teen's shoulder. Ferdinand chuckled.

"It's only typical for young adults. Thank you so much for lending a hand, Ulrich. I'm happy for the company."

Ulrich muttered with bitterness, "Don't mention it."

"Oh, I almost forgot." He chuckled again. "First, a proper introduction. I'm Ferdinand, Seth's brother." The warm smile and hearty laugh he had was enough to magnify Ulrich's annoyance. Ferdinand Stern looked much like his father, though the edges of his eyes were creased with smile marks. He possessed a demeanor very much unlike Seth, who had stress marks on his forehead and a crop cut.

He held out a hand.

Ferdinand withdrew the pipe he was smoking from his mouth and frowned ever so slightly as Ulrich declined him. He simply cleared his throat and tried again, "Welcome to Ashwick Grove, my boy."

Dropping his hand, his smile quickly returned. Seth cleared his throat. "Well, I guess I'll be going," he said. "Work him hard, Ferdinand."

The older man smiled back and nodded. "You can count on it."

Ulrich watched with dread as he watched his car shrink in the distance. Sighing, he averted his gaze to Ferdinand.

"Ah, Seth, always such a stiff," Ferdinand remarked, crossing his arms. "He's changed quite a bit since high school... Well, Ulrich boy, set your luggage down inside the room upstairs. Work begins tomorrow at sunrise."

Ulrich quirked both brows. "_That_ early?"

"We rise when the animals do." A smile continued gracing his lips.

"It's still too early to go to bed. What am I supposed do until then?" Ulrich was frustrated by how contained the countryside was, and could already predict the boredom hitting him in just a couple days. He slung his duffle over his shoulder.

Ferdinand scratched his chin. "Hm, I thought you'd be tired from traveling... In that case, take a walk. Enjoy the scenery." Wrapping his hands around his hips, he took in a breath with his eyes closed. "You'll be surprised with what nature has to offer."

Ulrich wrinkled his nose. "You're kidding." _What a hippie._

Ferdinand's lips were suddenly pressed together to form a look of seriousness. "I'm not," he said. "I'll tell ya what. I'll give you the keys to the truck so you can go into town. There are a couple kids there who I'm sure wouldn't mind making a new friend."

"Why not?" he muttered.

Ferdinand smiled with satisfaction. "Oh, and while you're there, I'll also need you to deliver these seeds to the flower shop."

"So you're sending me there to do work for you."

"Ha-ha. You caught me. Consider it your first job."

* * *

Ulrich followed the instructions Ferdinand gave. The town was quaint with cobblestone paths and corner shops. It wasn't much, but he found it kind of cute, actually.

He progressed towards the town slowly. The truck groaned with overuse, but still functioned relatively well.

A bell dinged as Ulrich opened the door to the small flower shop. The scent was overwhelming as it flooded his nose at his entry. Pots and pots of flowers and flower garlands decorated the outside—and the interior wasn't much different, either. In the center of it all, a girl with medium length hair turned around to his presence.

"Oh, welcome," she greeted shyly, hunching her shoulders and holding her hands behind her back. Over her clothes, she wore an apron stained with mud. She was an effortless beauty.

"Hi," Ulrich replied, holding out the package of seeds. "I came here to deliver these."

The florist adjusted her glasses before reaching out for them. "Ah, I take it these are from Ferdinand."

"Bingo."

She then examined Ulrich. "And you're his nephew, Ulrich?"

"Spot on again."

She smiled. "Then in that case, nice to meet you, I'm Emily."

Emily Leduc. A soon-to-be senior. When she isn't working in the flower shop, she studies in Paris. Her love for plants and passion for healthly and organic cooking basically defines her.

She turned around to place the seeds on an overhanging shelf. "Have you eaten, yet? I just finished preparing dinner."

As she asked the question, Ulrich's stomach suddenly churned. Ferdinand wouldn't mind a few more minutes alone, right? "Now that you mentioned it, I wouldn't mind a few bites," he answered. "What's on the menu?" The girl's newfound kindness was a shock to him.

She answered happily, "Asparagus souffle and baked pears."

"Err..." Ulrich refrained from giving a weird look.

"Emily!" Saving Ulrich, a tall teen with navy hair entered the shop with boxes in his arms. He was comopletely unaware of Ulrich as he pressed his back against the door to close it.

"Here's some more fresh produce from the market," he said. "Cook something up with them, like you normally do."

"I appreciate it, William. Let me help you with those..." She giggled as he stumbled walking towards her.

"Watch out, these are heavy!"

"Obviously."

Deciding that they didn't want to be further bothered, Ulrich simply left the shop.

* * *

The ride back was quiet as darkness overtook the area. It was when he drove under a grove of trees did Ulrich find himself to be completely lost.

The sound of unnatural rustling somewhere in the distance caught his attention, and he considered asking for help. What, more so—who, was it? He exited the vehicle and watched with caution as a slim, black figure approached.

Unlike her usual black skirt, black blazer, white oxford shirt, grey thigh stockings, red tie, and black combat boots, she was dressed comfortably in gray and pink gym clothing and black sneakers. Her jet-black hair fell down just short of her shoulders, and her skin was a porcelain white. Her midriff was also in plain view...

Ulrich swore he saw her before. Somewhere in school, he assumed.. Meanwhile, he was too much in a daze to realize that she was quickly getting closer, and that the music playing from her earbuds kept her too distracted to realize that he, too, was getting closer in relation to her.

"Oomph!"

After what seemed like mere seconds, Ulrich hit the ground with a loud thud. And posterior to a few coughing fits, he looked up just in time to notice that the girl was gazing down at him, an amused smirk now pulling at the corners of her lips.

Putting a hand on her hip, this was followed by a mocking bow as she first said to him, "Ulrich Stern.. To what do I owe this majesty?"

So he did know her. Urich publicly scowled at her teasing remark—he was quick to realize that he instantly grew to dislike her, much like Sissi. "Hey," he started in an irate tone. Finally getting up, he dusted himself off and began his retort. "I don't know _who_ you are, but-"

Before he could finish, a genuine smile cracked at her lips, essentially throwing him off. "Hey, chill, Ulrich," she said to him, holding her hands up in defense. "I was only joking." She quirked an eyebrow at him. "...But you really don't remember me, do you?"

Ulrich only stared at her blankly, answering her question. "I can remember the face, but no name comes to mind..." Ulrich blinked. "Y-Yuri?" he guessed, still unsure.

She shook her head. "It's _Yumi_," she replied. Yumi rose an eyebrow. "And I'm guessing _you're_ staying at Ashwick Grove? This is a joke, right?"

"No," he fired back. "But I'm guessing _you_ know where that is?"

"Ah, right, I saw all those Facebook statuses." Yumi let out an amused breath, but nodded slowly. "My grandparents own a farm there, and I spend my summers just helping them out.

"You'll love it here," she added, holding back a laugh.

Ulrich grimaced. "Lay off, will you?"

Nevertheless, she just questioned him, "You're staying with Ferdinand, right?"

"_Yes_."

"Lucky for you, we're already pretty close to his home. We should hurry, it's getting dark."


	6. Not So Much a Freak

**I'm so sorry for being the worst writer ever, guys. :( Special thanks to RejolWivvur, SecretCodeLyokan, nohandleonthings17, Yuoaj009, ulrichyumilover, BreadLoaf, Bluedog197, Aelitalyoko99, and CamilleRomance for their wonderful and encouraging words. :)**

**This chapter, although short, will be the predecessor to chapter 7, which I'll try to put up within a week. Although I've been going through a tough, confusing time this past year, it's no excuse to continue neglecting this story. Once again, I'm so sorry guys, omg. :(**

* * *

"When you research someone, you actually go beyond your own preconceptions and become aware of the human being other than the image. You become empathetic and sympathetic in return."

-Jim Broadbent

* * *

Chapter 6: Not So Much a Freak

Yumi's voice was the only noise that broke the constant groaning of the old truck as Ulrich wordlessly complied to her directions. In just minutes, the wheels screeched to a halt in front of Ferdinand's quaint cottage, not without a relieved sigh from the brunette.

"Here we are," Yumi remarked in a blasé tone. She smirked. "You're welcome."

Ulrich held his tongue as he slammed the car door shut behind him. Almost instantly, Yumi started down the cobblestone path, without any invitation.

When she reached the door, she casually walked in without knocking. Officially labeling her as crazy,Ulrich sprinted after her.

* * *

Before Ulrich, Ferdinand was smoking on his pipe again as a smile graced his features at the sight of Yumi. That stopped him dead in his tracks. "I see you've already met my nephew, Ulrich," said Ferdinand.

"We know each other from school, Uncle," Yumi replied in a tone that was unfamiliar to Ulrich. He raised an eyebrow.

Ferdinand chortled to himself. "It's a small world." He then rested his gaze on Ulrich, who had been silently standing behind Yumi up until now, too shocked to say a word. "Did you get lost, my boy?"

Ulrich decided against completely shunning him. "_No_," he managed to force out.

Ferdinand wordlessly turned back to face Yumi. "Will you be okay going home alone at this time of night?" he asked. "I'm sure Ulrich wouldn't mind being an escort."

The teen instantly narrowed his eyes. _Screw you._ It wasn't hard to figure out that the old man said that just to spite Ulrich.

Yumi, too, seemed to have noticed his reluctance. "Uh, no, Uncle." She bowed, politely declining. "You know me. I'll be fine."

"Well, alright, then." Ferdinand got up out of his chair, and rested a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Be safe."

"Okay, good night." Yumi happily waved to Ferdinand as she started her way out the door. She then nodded to Ulrich, who decided to salute back.

When the door shut behind her, Ferdinand directed his attention back to Ulrich. "Work begins tomorrow morning, Ulrich. Afterwards, you'll be seeing Aelita at the library so she could begin tutoring you."

Ulrich's eye twitched to Ferdinand's sudden change in subject. "How do you know Yumi?" he suddenly asked.

The old man smiled. "I was hoping you'd ask that. The Ishiyamas also have a farm a couple houses down." His features then dropped to a frown. "However, Yumi doesn't like the place. Nothing much really happens in Ashwick Grove."

"Why are you telling me this?" It was then Ulrich realized that he could relate to how she felt.

"The lady can use another friend." There was a pause before Ferdinand continued, "Try to be nice to her, Ulrich."

"How can I if she's been nothing but rude to _me_?" Ulrich shot back, suddenly defensive.

"She showed you the way back, didn't she?" Ferdinand released a crooked smile as Ulrich slumped his shoulders in slight embarrassement. His sixth sense was surprisingly keen.

"You seemed to have mistaken her sarcastic and straightforward personality for rudeness," Ferdinand concluded. "Think about that."

Without another word, Ferdinand exited the living room through the hallway and retired for the night. Ulrich shook his head and went up the stairs to do the same. His luggage was already placed in a corner of the room, and he barely took in the unfamiliar surroundings as tiredness began to overtake him.

Finally alone with his thoughts, he realized that maybe he should give Yumi a chance. Maybe she wasn't really a freak like most of Kadic's students have said.

Instead, could she be the key to changing him for the better?

He fell asleep with these last thoughts of her in mind.


	7. An Open Mind

**In under a week, just like I promised. :)**

* * *

"Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won't come in."

-Issac Asimov

* * *

Chapter 7: An Open Mind

Ulrich woke up aching in places he didn't even know could ache. He expected to see his Pencak Silat posters on the wall in front of him, like always, but all he saw was plain white plaster.

Oh, right. Ferdinand's cottage. The brunette let out a frustrating groan.

Despite his bed feeling like a rock covered in a thin sheet, his heavy eyelids were enough to make him want to sleep in longer. But the sunlight filtering through the blinds made him realize that something wasn't right.

Then it dawned on him. "Crap," he cursed to himself. "I'm late."

Not wasting one second while slipping on a plain Aeropostale t-shirt, he dashed down the stairs.

* * *

"Uncle, I'm sorry, I-"

Ulrich arrived at the kitchen to see his uncle at the stove, armed with a spatula. His lips were upturned to a calm, happy smile as he watched another pancake sizzle lethargically in the pan.

The kichen was small, with the stove and countertops facing the window and a matching island with stools in the middle. All of it was color-coordinated in different shades of yellow and white, and a pot of sunflowers was placed on the center of the island.

"Good morning, Ulrich," Ferdinand greeted. "Sleep well?" Ulrich was surprised to hear that his voice showed no signs of disappointment or anger.

"Um.. yeah," he answered, hesitating before taking a seat at the island. "Thanks..."

"I understand that today's your first day, and you didn't mean to sleep in," Ferdinand mused before letting his face drop to a slight frown. "But next time, I'm feeding your breakfast to Evy."

"..Huh?" It was then a small, grey cat circled around Ulrich's ankles, making her first appearance ever since he arrived yesterday. It was almost as if, at the sound of her name, she knew it was her cue to come in and introduce herself. "Oh."

Ferdinand turned around from the stove and placed two plates of blueberry pancakes on the island, along with a boat of syrup and two glasses of milk. "I take it you've never had a homemade breakfast before?" he asked.

"No," Ulrich answered through a large bite of pancake. "How did you know?"

"Lucky guess." Ferdinand smiled to himself, before sitting down. "Say, do you like the blueberries? I grew them myself."

Ulrich rose both his eyebrows, surprised. "Amazing."

"It's a shame your father never had the patience to do something like this," Ferdinand suddenly brought up. "Grow your own food, and you eventually grow a better appreciation for things."

"That explains a lot, doesn't it?" Ulrich remarked bitterly.

"Perhaps." Ferdinand put down his fork, and hardened his gaze on Ulrich. "But I think you have a lot to learn, as well."

"What are you going to have me do today, then?" Ulrich didn't want to remind him of the promise Ferdinand made to Seth, but he somehow felt an obligation to repay the former for his hospitality. It had been a while since someone was as nice as Ferdinand was to him.

Ferdinand quirked both eyebrows in slight surprise, but that didn't stop him from giving a smile of appreciation. "You can start out by clearing the plot of land in the backyard," he offered.

"Sounds easy enough."

"Wait until you actually start, my boy."

* * *

Like Ferdinand hinted, clearing out the weeds wasn't as easy as Ulrich imagined it to be. When he finally finished the small plot of land Ferdinand specially left for him, it was already near noon.

At one point, the old man arrived with a glass of lemonade and some finger sandwiches for Ulrich. The brunette scarfed down the lunch without even sparing the time to taste it.

"Yumi left a note for you," said Ferdinand suddenly, holding out a scrap of paper.

Remembering the promise he made to himself last night, Ulrich wiped his brow of sweat and agreeably took it. On the paper, it read in beautiful script:

_Hey, Prince Charming,_

_There's a nice forest trail not too far from here. If Uncle hasn't tired out your poor muscles yet, stop by my house and we'll jog together... If you can even keep up. :P_

_-Yumi_

Ulrich's eye twitched with the familiar feeling of annoyance. A part of him knew that he didn't want to give Yumi the satisfaction of successfully teasing him, but another part of him knew that his back was aching, his arms were pulsing, and his legs were starting to give out. So, also remembering he had a tutoring session waiting for him soon, he made a mental note to meet up with her tomorrow morning.

If he had Ferdinand's permission, of course.

"You may take a break from work tomorrow," said Ferdinand, as if reading his mind.

"Cool." Ulrich let out a sigh of relief.

* * *

The town's library was immensely compact. The shelves were maneuvered in such a way that no space was wasted, and posters adorned the walls, advertising classics such as The Little Prince, Madame Bovary, and The Count of Monte Cristo.

To the left of him stood a front desk. But that, too, was empty. "Hello?" spoke Ulrich.

A pink head of hair poked out from behind one of the shelves. Her petite frame made it no surprise that Ulrich missed her. "Oh, hello!" she chirped happily. "Looking for anything in particular?"

The lady Ulrich assumed to be Aelita was on one of those tall ladders a typical book shelver would use to reach the higher levels. In her little Mary Janes, she clumsily descended it before striding up to him. He was at least a head taller than her.

"Aelita, right?" Ulrich asked hesitantly.

"I am she," Aelita replied with a grin.

Aw, Aelita Schaeffer. Incoming junior. Known as Ashwick Grove's sweetheart, she was intelligent well beyond her years, but her innocence still managed to remain intact. The lady had a small, slim build, and a short pixie haircut (yes, the hair color was natural). She was beautiful, in a cute way.

Ulrich began, "I'm-"

"Ferdinand's nephew, Ulrich!" Aelita cut in, shocked and seeming to have just realized it. She scurried back to the bookshelves. "You must be here for your first tutoring session. Should I get the books ready?"

"Sure." Ulrich was taken aback by her unfaltering energy.

"Please, have a seat," she said. As Ulrich complied, Aelita ran her slim fingers past the spines of countless of books. "Mystery, Adventure, Fantasy, or Horror?"

Can't say he didn't like a good episode of Hospital of Horrors. Odd used to be relentless in getting him to watch the series, and he was glad that he eventually succumbed. "Horror," he replied.

Aelita chuckled. "Good choice. Your first assignment will be reading the first few chapters of Frankenstein tonight."

The idea didn't sound all that appealing to him. "But I don't have a library card," he tried to fib.

Aelita arrived at his side with a relatively small book in hand. "That's quite alright," she answered with a smile. "Any friend of Ferdinand's is a friend of mine. Just take it, and be sure to return it when you're finished."

Ulrich was still hesitant. When it dawned on her, Aelita let her lips fall to a frown.

"I can sense your reluctance. But have an open mind, and you'll enjoy it, trust me."

Have an open mind. That became Ulrich's mantra. "..If you say so," he replied.

"So.." Aelita smiled again, taking the chair across from him. "Your pick. Where should we start?"

"Chemistry," Ulrich answered without thinking. "I'm taking AP next year, and I'm terrible with oxidation states."

Aelita laughed. "A piece of cake. You'll get it in no time."

And Ulrich believed her.

* * *

That night, Ulrich was beat. Aelita was merciless with all the practice problems, but he'd be lying if he said they weren't helpful.

He decided to try and contact Odd back in Paris. It had been a while since he checked his mobile, so he did that first. His notifications screened three missed calls from Sissi, and five from Odd. Ulrich tried calling the latter back, but his cell refused to connect.

His heart sinking, he looked up towards the menu bar.

Great. No reception. This farm really is in the middle of nowhere, isn't it?

"If you're trying to call out," Ferdinand said suddenly, causing Ulrich to jump, "you're going to have to use the wall phone. Unfortunately, calls cannot last beyond five minutes, so if you want to discuss something, better make it quick."

Luckily, Odd's number was one of the few Ulrich memorized, so he was able to easily dial it into the wall phone. When the first few rings met his ears, he suddenly grew anxious for reasons he couldn't explain.

After what seemed like an eternity, the phone on the other end of the line picked up. "Hello?" Odd sounded confused. "Who's this?"

Ulrich took a deep breath to brace himself for the questions Odd was sure to ask soon.

"Odd, it's Ulrich."

* * *

**Author's Note: Mild cliffhanger, I guess? XD **

**Like it, hate it? Let me know! :)**


	8. Comrades

**Hey all! Sorry for taking a while, I've been working quite a lot on "Passion, Drugs, and Vengeance," a new Ulumi fic of mine (medical drama). It'd mean a lot to me if you checked it out! :)**

**Anyway, wow, 11 reviews on the last chapter! That is amazing! Big thanks to nohandleonthings17, SincerelyyYourss, PrincessTutu22, Bluedog197, SecretCodeLyokan, The Eccentric Gamer, camilleRomance, JustGrace13, Yuoaj009, AngelGirl569, and The Chaucer Mage for their sweet reviews! :)**

* * *

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light."

-Helen Keller

* * *

Chapter 8: Comrades

"Am I dreaming, or did Ulrich Stern really not fall off the face of the earth?"

Ulrich rolled his eyes. "Yeah. It's really me."

_"_Where the hell have you been?!" Ulrich could clearly detect the irritation in Odd's voice. "Sissi's been clawing at me to get some details on you."

"Really?" Ulrich rose an eyebrow, sympathizing with his blonde friend. "Well, _she_ has completely lost all sense of dignity."

"Tell me about it. What about you?" Odd asked. "How's life as an ol' farmer?"

"I had to clear out weeds today. And my bed feels like a freakin' rock. Oh, yeah—no internet connection or cellphone reception, either."

"Ouch."

"But the food's _amazing_."

"Aww, man, now I would have loved to tag along."

Ulrich chuckled. It was refresing to get to talk to Odd again. "Tell Sissi that there are plenty of girls there for me to go around, though. Just to mess with her."

Odd joined in on his mirth. "Sure thing."

Ulrich then smirked. "How's Paris?" he asked.

"Same old same old. Poolside parties with fellow Kadicans, nightclubs, hot chicks—all that fun stuff. But this _one_ _girl_, her name's Sam-"

_Click_.

Ulrich checked the wall clock. 9:37. He recalled it being a little past 9:30 when he first dialed Odd's number.

It had been five minutes.

"You have got to be kidding!" Ulrich screamed to himself.

* * *

The following morning, the brunette found himself knocking on Yumi's door.

The Ishiyama residence consisted of a quaint cottage painted in different shades of pastel blue. Magnificent grape trellises stood on either side of the building, and stone walls marked off the property.

It was unusually contained and small. Ulrich let out an amused laugh when he thought how much Yumi must hate it.

He knocked again.

"Oh, Yumi, can you please get that?" he heard an older voice say.

"Of course, grandma!"

After a few heavy clomps, the door opened to reveal Yumi's tall, willowy stature. She was wearing the same gym clothes from yesterday. "Ulrich!" she said his name in a tone of surprise. "Finally got the guts to show up?"

Rather than taking it offensively, he realized that it was just Yumi poking fun. Without saying anything, he only smirked and rolled his eyes to hopefully rile her up. Yumi let out a breath of disbelief as she took a step out the door.

"What are we doing today?" Ulrich asked.

"Just be ready for a workout," Yumi answered, cracking a grin.

* * *

The forest trail was nice, but when they finally reached the clearing, Ulrich's lungs felt just about ready to collapse. Yumi, although flushed, felt perfectly fine on the other hand. She placed her hands triumphantly on her hips.

"Not bad, Stern," she remarked. "I'm surprised you were able to keep up with me!"

"You -_huff- _thought -_huff- _wrong," Ulrich managed to usher out. The teen hunched over, his hands resting on his upper thighs. Sweat dripped from the top of his forehead, and the front section of his hair drooped from the moisture.

Yumi smirked. "Well, then, are you up for a second round tomorrow?"

"You're -_huff_\- a jerk -_huff_-. You know -_huff_\- that, -_huff_\- right?"

Yumi chuckled to herself and took a seat at the edge of the steep cliff they were standing on. She then patted the space beside her invitingly, and Ulrich obliged, trying hard not to collapse on his back.

In front of them stood a magnificent waterfall. Immeasurable amounts of clear water cascaded down into the lake below, toward a large cloud of spray converging at the bottom.

The two spent a couple minutes of silence just listening, gazing, and daydreaming to the view. About what, they weren't too sure.

"How's Uncle treating you?" Yumi suddenly asked. Her mature, feminine voice provided a nice break from the loud noises the waterfall made.

Ulrich was caught off guard by the question. Sitting up, he answered regardless, "He's nice and all, but he's really working me to death."

"You're building character, at least." Yumi turned to look at him and winked. "It's also really nice that you're helping him out," she continued.

"You can thank my father for that."

"Maybe he was only looking out for his brother," Yumi muttered.

Ulrich lifted both his eyebrows. His sense of hearing was keen. "What do you mean?"

Yumi frowned, seeming to regret what she had said. She paused for a while, as if carefully formulating her next words in her mind.

"His health, like my grandma's, has been slowly getting worse these past couple of years, ever since the heart attack," she explained slowly.

"_What_?" Ulrich was taken aback.

"Ferdinand didn't tell you, did he?" Yumi swung her legs back and forth over the cliff's edge. "Figures. He never calls much attention to himself."

"I didn't realize—I should've been nicer to him." A look of frustration settled upon his features. Now that he knew, what could he do to make things right?

"Give Ashwick Grove a chance," Yumi answered, as if reading his mind.

Ulrich didn't have to consider whether or not to comply to Yumi's suggestion. Realizing that Ferdinand put aside his own problems to shape up his delinquent nephew made him feel that much worse.

"I will," Ulrich declared. That very moment was the first time he had ever made himself a resolution. Although it felt foreign, it still gave him a sense of pride.

Maybe he really did have a shot at happiness here.

"And you..?" he asked Yumi. "Have you given Ashwick Grove a chance?"

"I know I should be taking my own advice, but my father wants me to inherit the winery." She sighed to herself in apparent disappointment. "There's nothing I can do that would warm me up to the place, so I guess we're both in the _same_ frickin' boat for now.."

Yumi then turned to look at him, her face sparkling with a sudden idea. "What do you say to being comrades?" she asked.

"Comrades..?" Ulrich tilted his head.

"We're both rebels in this small, isolated society. The best way to go about it is to form a sort of alliance, don't you think?" She slammed a fist into the palm of her other hand.

When Yumi put it that way, Ulrich had to admit it wasn't a bad idea. It actually sounded kind of fun.

He nodded. "Sounds good," he replied, holding out a hand. "Comrade Ishiyama."

Yumi smirked. "Well, then, Comrade Stern, feel free to seek help from me whenever you need it."

"Likewise with me."

Then they shook on it.

* * *

Yumi and Ulrich agreed to walk back to the Ishiyama residence. As Yumi stepped in through the doorway, she turned back to look at the brunette.

"It was nice, finally having a jogging partner," she said without any reservation.

"I don't think I'd want to do that again for a while," Ulrich deadpanned.

A frail, female voice interrupted their short conversation then. "Yumi..?" it said. Looking into the entrance hallway, the pair of teens watched as a homely old lady hobbled into view. A shawl wrapped her petite, hunchback stature, and her short black hair was in little ringlets.

A younger boy that shared similar features with Yumi was also following beside the older woman, his hand wrapped protectively around her left arm. "Where were you, Yumi?" he asked.

"Just my morning jog, Hiroki," Yumi answered. Her eyes fell especially on the woman Ulrich assumed to be her grandmother. Her eyebrows creased in worry. "Grandma, don't push yourself. Please, rest."

Yumi's grandmother ignored her and gave a pleasant smile. "When you mentioned that a boy was coming, I couldn't resist the chance to see what he looks like," she replied. "Wow, what a handsome young man.."

Yumi's younger brother, Hiroki, nodded in agreement. He directed his older sister a thumbs-up of approval. Ulrich shifted his weight to his other foot, not sure what to do. What could he say in response to something like that?

"Grandma!" Yumi exclaimed, mortified.

Instantly amused by her embarrassed demeanor, Ulrich suddenly forgot about his disconcertion and chuckled. He wanted to see how far he could push her. "I'm Ulrich," he said. "Ferdinand's nephew."

The old lady smiled in pure glee. "Why, hello, Ulrich."

"Bye, Grandma, Hiroki!" Yumi finally said, loudly. Without any further words, she ushered them into the kitchen with the wave of her hand.

Alone again, Ulrich smirked. "They're lovely."

Yumi laughed sarcastically. "I could kill you."

She shot him a threatening glare, but Ulrich only laughed, causing her to sigh in disbelief.

And like that, she shut the door.

* * *

**Author's Note: Please review if you liked. :)**


	9. New Beginnings

***Phew* Hey guys! Sorry if you waited for a while for this to come out, it's been getting difficult juggling between this story and "Passion, Drugs, and Vengeance."**

**But! Good news! I have the rest of this story clearly outlined, so hopefully that'll speed things up a little. ;) Like always, please leave a review/follow/favorite if you like. :) Thanks so much for reading and all the support! :D**

**P.S. Dear It'sNotMe, I made sure to add some William/Emily interaction, just for you. ;)**

* * *

"Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love."

-Lao Tzu

* * *

Chapter 9: New Beginnings

Ulrich came home to lunch waiting for him. A white circular plate piled high with what he assumed to be some hot chicken casserole sat alone on the kitchen island, along with matching silverware and a checkered napkin.

At the sight, Ulrich's stomach instantly growled with impatience, reminding him of his hunger, courtesy of Yumi's intense workout. So, without any reservation, he sat himself down and began to dig in.

Minutes into his meal, Ferdinand took the chair beside him. He often did this as he found satisfaction in watching others enjoy his cooking. But Ulrich didn't even acknowledge him, much less spare a glance.

"Usually you would tell me how delicious the food is," Ferdinand mused. "Why are you so quiet today, my boy?"

Ulrich swallowed his most recent bite and turned to gaze at his uncle. "Yumi told me about your... condition," he explained.

Ferdinand rubbed a thumb against his chin. "Ah, well, she's always been worried about me," he replied, not surprised the slightest. "I guess it _was_ cruel to ask her to keep quiet about it.."

"Why did you have to hide this from me?" Ulrich could feel anger begin to steadily rise up inside of him, and he felt close to snapping. "What's been going on?"

"I had a mild heart attack a few summers ago, so I've been taking things easy." A sad look flitted across Ferdinand's face as he reminisced the tragic event. "I didn't tell you because it wouldn't have mattered. You shouldn't treat this old man any differently, heart attack or not."

"It still would've helped knowing, though," Ulrich grumbled as he aggressively took another bite out of his casserole.

Ferdinand laughed in amusement. "And why is that?"

Ulrich pursed his lips. "I've been a jerk to you, and I'm sorry." He shut his eyes as he felt his pride slowly melt away from him as a result of the confession. He truly felt guilty for his attitude these past couple of days, and he would do anything to make it up.

"Well, if that's really all, I appreciate your honesty, Ulrich." Ferdinand smiled. "You've grown quite a bit ever since you've arrived."

Ulrich slouched in his chair. "Yeah, yeah.."

"I'm proud to call you my nephew!" Ferdinand grinned widely.

By then, Ulrich had finished his casserole. What could he say in response to that, while avoiding getting really touchy? "How are you so calm about this?" he chose to ask out of pure curiosity.

"My ticker's still ticking, isn't it?" Ferdinand chortled to himself. "I like to appreciate every moment."

* * *

Ulrich spent the rest of the afternoon working on his plot of land. Even though Ferdinand _did_ say that he could take the day off, he felt obligated to work more and harder.

"What's this even for?" Ulrich asked as he worked the gardening hoe.

"Our own personal flower bed." Ferdinand flashed a large smile. He then chortled to himself as he continued to pick the vegetable harvest from a few plots to his left.

Ulrich dropped his gardening hoe in shock. "Did I hear you right?"

"Why, Ulrich, don't give me that face." Ferdinand frowned and placed his hands on his hips. "I don't spend my time just growing food, you know.."

Ulrich blinked. "Right... Should I get the seeds from Emily's, then?"

"You just read my mind."

* * *

When Ulrich walked into the flower shop, the familiar scent of flowers flooded his nose yet again. However, it was even more overwhelming to him than the last time he came.

"Ulrich!" Emily greeted him with a warm smile. "Are you here for Ferdinand's box?"

Ulrich nodded in reply. "I am."

"Just a second.." Emily was arranging some flowers within a vase. She then retrieved a small spray bottle from a nearby shelf and lightly spritzed them. "It's on the shelf behind me."

"Thanks." Ulrich grabbed the box with ease. "The shop's looking even more colorful than the last time I came," he commented.

Emily nodded. "You have a good eye. I'm just about ready to ship all these flowers out!" The girl sighed, a euphoric look taking place within her eyes.

Ulrich lifted an eyebrow. "You must really like flowers..."

"I do. They're wonderful for just about any occassion."

"I wouldn't know that.."

Emily gasped, placing a hand against her mouth dramatically. "You've never given flowers as a gift to someone before..?"

"Well.." Ulrich thought back to his days at Kadic. He did give a rose to Sissi, but she snobbishly rejected it because it wasn't an orchid. So it was Yumi that accepted it instead. "I did, once," he answered. "But she didn't react too well."

Emily frowned in sympathy. "Hm, well, I'm sure anyone here in Ashwick Grove would happily appreciate flowers if you gave some to her."

Ulrich thought about it. Quite frankly, only Yumi came to mind. Not only would the flowers be a good "do over," but it would also serve as a nice token of trust. She _did_ want them to be comrades, after all.

"Then I'd like to give some to Yumi," he said. He figured he might as well do something nice, for a change.

"It's really great that you're spending time with her, Ulrich." Emily flashed a grin. "I'll make an arrangement, free of charge."

"Cool, thanks. I'll-"

"Emily!" It was William again, barging through the doors. "Need any help around here?"

"Oh, hi, William," she laughed. "I'm fine for now, thank you. Although, since you're here... hold on a moment."

The bespectacled girl disappeared into a room at the back of the flower shop, leaving Ulrich alone with William. The brunette shrugged and made himself comfortable by leaning against the wall.

"So you're Ulrich," said William, acknowledging him for the first time ever. "Are you also friends with Emily?"

"I guess I am," the brunette replied. "And you're pretty close to her, am I right?"

"I guess I am," he echoed, then laughed. A light pink shade surfaced on the older boy's cheeks, making it clear to Ulrich that he was completely smitten with her. "We go to the same school."

Ulrich smirked. "Do you like her?"

"Is it that obvious?"

"Well, yeah."

William's cheeks turned even redder. He couldn't keep back his dumbfounded smile as he continued, "She's beautiful, intelligent, talented, and so kind. What's not to like about her?"

"Here you guys go!" Emily suddenly reappeared with two cans of a thick, gold colored substance in her hands. She handed one to Ulrich, then William. "It's honey. From the hive."

"W-wow, thanks, Emily," stuttered William. The navy-haired boy wondered if the girl heard anything he just said moments before. "You're amazing."

Emily blushed. "Thank you. And Ulrich, be sure to save some for your Uncle."

The brunette chuckled. "Will do. Thanks."


	10. An Unexpected Development

**So I think it was kind of jerkish to make you all wait so long for such a short chapter. So here's the next one. :)**

**As always, thank you for all the support! :D**

**P.S. It'sNotMe, I already have a cover for this story, but thank you so much for the offer. :)**

* * *

"Attraction is beyond our will or ideas sometimes."

-Juliette Binoche

* * *

Chapter 10: An Unexpected Developmemt

Ulrich was so caught up in work for the past few days that he completely forgot about Aelita's reading assignment. So he saw to it that, that night, he would read the first couple of chapters right before bed.

He had to admit that Aelita was right. _Frankenstein_ was entertaining to read. He found himself flipping through the pages without any reserve, so immersed in the story.

The brunette then found a good stopping point and easily fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Ulrich was knocking on Yumi's door again. Not only did he want to challenge himself to another jog, but he also wanted to see if Emily had sent the flowers yet. And Yumi's reaction.

The Japanese teen opened the door with a smirk on her face. She crossed her arms, leaned against the frame, and started tapping her feet repeatedly against the ground.

"What game are you playing?" she asked with an amused expression.

"I'm guessing you got the flowers?" When Yumi nodded, Ulrich shook his head. "Well, in that case, there's no game. Just wanted to do something nice."

"Oh, really?" She turned to her side to give Ulrich a better view of the home's entrance hall. The brunette could clearly see the key table not far behind Yumi.

And on it was a vase of red roses.

"_Emily,"_ Ulrich mentally cursed. Yumi clearly got it all wrong. And Emily probably thought that he and Yumi had a thing.

The raven-haired girl laughed. "I'm not interested in your cheesy romance story, Stern."

Ulrich shrugged. "You're not mad, and that's a good start," he muttered. More loudly, he explained, "Emily offered me a free arrangement, so I decided to gift you flowers, as a comrade. I didn't know she was going to give you roses."

"Oh, I see." Yumi nodded in satisfaction.

"I'm not even going to get a thank you?"

She laughed in disbelief. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Well, then, comrade, I'm guessing you're here for another jog?"

"You bet."

* * *

With Ferdinand's conditioning and having went through the trail once already, the jog wasn't as difficult as before to Ulrich. When they finally reached the clearing, the brunette let out a sigh of relief.

He stripped out of his tank top to cool off. His back was glistening with sweat, and even more dripped down from his forehead. He gazed down at the lake below, suddenly tempted to jump in...

Which actually wasn't a bad idea.

"Hey," he said. Yumi, instantly brought to attention, walked over to his side. "I have an idea. Race you down to the lake?"

Yumi laughed, suddenly pumped up for the challenge. She then took off without any prior warning, Ulrich quickly trailing behind her.

"I'll see you there!" she yelled.

* * *

When they came out of the trees and arrived at the lake, it felt like they were standing in a postcard. Every place the pair looked, they were greeted by magnificent colors enhanced by the sunlight—the lake was a crystal blue, and the moss and trees were a deep emerald shade.

To their left was a flat, moss-covered rock. When they stepped on it together, it finally gave Yumi a clear view of Ulrich. Suddenly, it was hard for her to keep her eyes off his chiseled back and shoulders. It was clear that Ferdinad was working him hard.

"Are we _swimming_?" she asked, looking down at her clothes. "To cool off?"

"Wasn't that obvious? Ulrich asked. He turned to look at Yumi, and he almost face-palmed himself. "Oh, right... You wouldn't want to swim in those, would you?"

Yumi crossed her arms over her chest. "You totally meant for this to happen."

Ulrich lifted an eyebrow and held his hands up in defense. "I didn't-" He suddenly couldn't speak. It was true, however, that he didn't realize Yumi's dilemma.

"Ugh, whatever." Without any reserve, Yumi grasped the hem of her sweatshirt and pulled it over her head. Ulrich's face took a red shade as he tried hard not to look at her delightfully fitting underwear. Yumi then slipped out of her sweatpants and shook her shoes off.

If they were dating, this moment would be thrilling, something they would both giggle at.

Yumi smirked. "Look while you can."

Before Ulrich knew it, her arms were in the air, and she arced and dived into the lake with a _splash_. Seconds later, she resurfaced, gracefully flipping her hair from her face.

She was quite literally _glistening_ under the sun.

Ulrich swallowed thickly. The girl was _beautiful_. He felt completely speechless, nervous in the pit of his stomach. What was he feeling right now?

"Are you going to join me?" she asked, lightly kicking to propel herself even further away. Thankfully, her body was concealed under the water. "Race you to the other side!"

Ulrich shook his head, not surprised the least by Yumi's usual competitive manner. He then realized that, if Yumi wasn't nervous, why should he be? Quickly, he shook off his shoes along with his disconcertion and performed his own dive into the water.

The water's coldness took him by surprise at first. But he grew accustomed to it a second later. Ulrich reached the surface to catch his breath, then shot a look at Yumi before starting his own strokes to get himself across the lake. Yumi followed in his wake.

The pair of them pushed themselves so hard that they lost track of each other. Simultaneously, they drew closer and closer to the large rock that stood on the other side—until Yumi slammed her hand against it, an instant before Ulrich.

"Guess I'm also the better swimmer," she said triumphantly.

With a roll of his eyes, Ulrich heaved himself out of the water, panting. Yumi did the same. The brunette had no trouble scaling the rock despite the moss covering it, but Yumi, on the other hand, found it extremely slippery.

"Guess I'm the better climber." Ulrich flashed Yumi a smirk.

"Just offer me a hand, if you're such a gentleman."

And he did. However, he pulled with too much force, and Yumi was suddenly in his arms.

Their faces blushed in unison. Yumi's hands were on Ulrich's bare pecs. Ulrich was mesmerized, and he couldn't take his eyes off her shocked face. He couldn't take his hands off her smooth, porcelain skin, either.

It was Yumi who pulled away first, being her usual upfront self. The two of them then fell back first against the flat rock and exhaled in satisfaction as they graciously took in the warmth of the sun. Ulrich turned away to let Yumi wring herself out—mostly out of respect and embarrassment.

Suddenly, he found himself wondering how Yumi must look right now, right this moment. Her raven hair slicked back and shining in the sun, the smooth contours of her chiseled, trim body bare and exposed—he was tempted to see.

He realized he was attracted to her. He swallowed thickly at the revelation.

"That was refreshing," Yumi muttered, clearly referencing the lake and interrupting his thoughts. "Should we head back?"

Ulrich absently nodded, slightly dazed. "Yeah."

* * *

When they arrived back at the Ishiyama residence, it was clear something wasn't right.

"Yumi, Ulrich!" A shocked expression took Aelita's face as she spotted the pair. Her eyebrows were creased in concern, and she nervously wrung her hands. "Sorry, I'm too occupied right now..."

And like that, she took off towards the house.

"What's going on?" Yumi demanded. Completely forgetting what happened just a while before at the lake, she placed her hands on her hips.

She exasperatedly turned to her left, and found William driving his truck towards them with Emily in the passenger seat. Both of them looked concerned, as well.

"What's everyone doing here?" Yumi desperately asked. "Did something happen to grandma?" Tears began to burn the back of her eyes as she trembled slightly at the thought.

Answering her question, there came Aelita pushing a wheelchair. While her steps were little, she was quick.

Because within the wheelchair was a sickly pale, unconscious old man with a bandaged-up leg.

The white gauze was quickly turning red, however.

Yumi wailed at the horrifying sight. She turned to the person closest to her—Ulrich—and started crying softly into his shirt. "Quickly get him to the nearest clinic, _please_!" she pleaded.

And she didn't lift her face until she heard the tires turn.

Only Emily and Hiroki remained, along with Yumi and Ulrich. The brunette, looking around him, only just realized how close to each other everyone was in Ashwick Grove. He suddenly felt like an outsider, having just arrived over the summer.

"It was a machine," Hiroki said solemnly. "An accident."

Emily nodded and placed a comforting hand on Yumi's shoulder. "You should join your grandma back inside, get some rest. I'm sure Aelita already has a splint in your grandfather's leg—he'll be fine."

Yumi sniffed, wiping the corner of her eyes with a finger. She then nodded and inhaled sharply. "I guess I should."

"We'll leave you alone, then," said Ulrich. He turned around to begin his way home.

"Wait-"

Yumi suddenly grasped the hem of Ulrich's shirt. "If you're my comrade, you'll stay with me," she said quietly.

Ulrich nodded, suddenly remembering the promise they made. He didn't need any more from her to comply. It was shocking to see Yumi's usually brave demeanor disappear for a moment. "Comrades," he echoed.

As Yumi disappeared inside her home, he stayed and sat on the porch, spending the rest of the afternoon watching the clouds go by.

"_What just happened today_?" he wondered to himself.


	11. Confession

**As always, I'd like to start by personally thanking my reviewers. :) A big thanks to It'sNotMe, Bluedog197, SecretCodeLyokan, The Eccentric Gamer, SincerelyyYourss, Yuoaj009, and MonkeyQueen88 YT for taking the time to review! :D I'm also extremely grateful for all of your follows and favorites! :)**

**Enjoy the chapter. ;)**

* * *

"Mysteries of attraction could not always be explained through logic. Sometimes the fractures in two separate souls became the very hinges that held them together."

-Lisa Kleypas, _Devil in Winter_

* * *

Chapter 11: Confession

_Ulrich,_

_Aelita said Mr. Ishiyama made it to the hospital safe and sound. He's currently recovering at a fast pace._

_-Ferdinand_

_P.S. I'll be going into town to cash in some crops. With your help, this was the biggest yield I've had in years! Waffles are in the fridge._

The brunette sighed in relief when he read the note in the kitchen the next morning. Then he grinned at the last couple of sentences. It was the first time he had ever felt a sense of pride and satisfaction for a long while.

As he munched on his waffles, he looked out the kitchen window, at the flower bed.

The first seeds were finally sprouting.

* * *

_Knock knock._

After tending more to the flower bed, and working some more on the crops, Ulrich made the Ishiyama residence his next stop. After the accident, he wanted to check up on Yumi.

As always, she was the one to answer the door. The first thing Ulrich noticed was her face—although much better than yesterday, it still appeared slightly crestfallen. And despite her clear attempts to hide it, he could tell she was stressed just by the less upfront-than-usual way she carried herself.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

The girl sighed, looked up towards the ceiling, and laughed in disbelief. "Yes, Ulrich, there _is_ something wrong."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Why not." She smirked. "I'll prepare some genmaicha tea."

Ulrich scratched the back of his head. "Err... how about we walk instead?"

* * *

"What is it?" asked Ulrich. "Something wrong with your grandfather?"

Their walk through the small neighborhood had taken them away from the populated section of Ashwick Grove and into the magnificent forest that always seemed to separate itself from the rest of the world.

"He's fine." A small breeze entwined itself with Yumi's short strands of jet-black hair, partly concealing her face. She looked ahead impassively and let out a sarcastic smile. "_But_, my father called me last night," she replied.

Ulrich quirked an eyebrow. "Is this about-"

Yumi sighed, cutting him off. "_Yes_. After the accident, he's now even more stubborn about getting me to inherit the farm."

Then Yumi let it all out. She continued, shaking her head, "My grandfather's too old to continue working." She ran her fingers through her hair anxiously. "Now my father's looking into keeping me closer to Ashwick Grove."

"What do you mean?"

Yumi turned to gaze at Ulrich hard in the eyes. The brunette swallowed thickly, knowing that things were suddenly getting serious.

"My father wants to pull me out of Kadic so I could go to a school closer to here. With Aelita, Emily, and William."

Ulrich's eyes widened in shock. He didn't want Yumi to leave. He never realized it before, but he came to terms with it at that moment—he liked her. He liked her a lot. But Yumi seemed completely unfazed.

After all, what did she have to lose? She certainly did not fit in well with Kadic's appearance-based environment. Meanwhile, at her potential new school, she had real friends to back her up. The people there were probably much nicer, too.

Suddenly, the fear of losing her grew strong within Ulrich. There was also the fear that she didn't return his feelings. He tried to speak up, but nothing came out because of his dumb pride.

Yumi shook her head in disbelief. "Maybe it's for the best," she said, a steely look flashing across her face. "He'll never let me go to a real university after I graduate, anyway, even with my scholarships."

"So.. you're just going to give up?" he asked curiously.

"Why not?" Yumi shrugged.

Ulrich pursed his lips. "Because that's so unlike you," he blurted out.

"Oh, so you suddenly know me?" Yumi crossed her arms and shot him a glare. She then closely inspected his face, searching for some sort of sign to what he was feeling right now. "Why do you care so much, anyway?"

Ulrich clenched his fists. "We're comrades!" he bursted. He sucked in a breath, angered at himself for not being able to say the prime thing that was on his mind.

Yumi looked ahead of her and smiled sadly.

"Do you really want to spend the rest of your life _farming_?" Ulrich asked. He couldn't imagine Yumi's strong-willed self settle for something so... dull. He then continued even more quietly, more desperately, "Even with all your potential?"

She replied, also quietly, "You don't think I should leave?"

Her question was met with silence from Ulrich.

She then asked, more forcefully, "Or do you just not want me to?"

Yumi's sudden revelation hit Ulrich hard. She knew she got him. Rendered speechless, he tried to keep his gaze on anything but Yumi.

But he found that they were suddenly under a grove of trees.

The place they first met—officially.

"Of course I don't want you to leave." He smiled wistfully, looking ahead towards the beautiful plethora of colors. "We're..._friends_."

"Is that all?"

"What do you want me to say?"

Yumi cracked a smile of amusement. "You like me, Ulrich Stern."

"Don't flatter youself," Ulrich retorted before he could think.

But Yumi was relentless. "Shut up," she said bluntly. "You know I'm right."

Ulrich almost laughed at Yumi's expected aggressiveness. The girl, hearing no denial from him, bit her lip with a satisfied smirk and stood on her tip toes to reach his eye level.

She then leaned close to him. "What are you going to do now?" she whispered.

The hair on Ulrich's arms stood on end as Yumi's breath blew softly against his face. The look in her eyes was so alluring, so irresistible. She didn't dare move. Knowing that she wanted this as much as he did, Ulrich began to move slowly, so slowly until their faces were so close that their eyes almost crossed, their noses almost touching.

Then, they closed their eyes simultaneously as Ulrich pressed his lips againt hers.

In a sudden burst of passion, his muscled arms coiled around her small waist as the softest touch of their lips connected them. She then deepened the kiss as he drew her closer to him, until their bodies were pressed against one another.

When Ulrich pulled away, he looked down at Yumi as she grinned ever so slightly. His confession didn't need words, and the same went for hers.

"Is this what comrades do?" she asked, letting out a small laugh.

Ulrich simulated her smile. "Probably not."

"I'll stay," she said, sure of it. "At Kadic."

And Ulrich believed her. It felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders, letting him breathe more easily. But, overwhelmed with happiness, "Good," was all that he let come out of his mouth.

* * *

**Author's Note: Short, but sweet. Let me know what you think. :)**


	12. A Lost Love

**Thank you for all the support! I'm currently in a rush, so I can't post the quote now.. Just enjoy the chapter. :)**

* * *

Chapter 12: A Lost Love

That afternoon, Aelita wasn't there to greet Ulrich as he entered the library for his tutoring session. Much to his surprise, a blonde boy with thick-rimmed glasses presented himself in her stead.

"I haven't seen you around here before," he remarked, readjusting his glasses as he sized Ulrich up. His level of intelligence clearly demonstrated itself through his calculating tone of voice.

"I can say the same about you," Ulrich deadpanned. "Is Aelita around?"

The blonde wordlessly pointed a finger towards the back of the room. There sat Aelita's petite figure in a small wicker chair, her back hunched over an equally small desk littered with crumpled pieces of paper as she furiously scribbled with a ballpoint pen. Her eyebrows were knit together in deep concentration.

"Jeremie!" she shrieked, holding out a hand without even glancing up. "Paper, hurry!"

Jeremie frowned. "We just ran out," he whispered to Ulrich.

Together, the pair of boys walked over to the pinkette's side. Ulrich quickly dug into his pants pocket and pulled out a crinkled reciept from two nights ago while he was at Emily's. "Will this do?"

Without saying anything, Aelita clawed at the receipt and continued to write on the back of it. Ulrich was rendered speechless while Jeremie just looked exasperated.

Curiosity getting the best of him, Ulrich grabbed one of the many crumpled papers that had fallen to the floor. He noticed that the words were neatly grouped together in stanzas.

Was that...poetry?

"Drop it!" Aelita gasped, mortified. "I need to concentrate!"

Ulrich obliged, instantly releasing the paper. Aelita continued to write, word after word, and it surprised him that her wrist didn't cramp.

"Is she always like this?" Ulrich whispered over to Jeremie.

The blonde sighed. "Always. I guess the inspiration hits her quite frequently."

The brunette nodded in understanding. "I'm Ulrich, by the way."

"Jeremie, pleasure to meet you."

Jeremie Belpois. Soon-to-be-junior. Considered "gifted" by his teachers, he was eventually dubbed "Einstein" by many of his friends and classmates. He currently ranks as valedictorian of his class, _and_ he was gifted a full scholarship to California Institute of Technology in the middle of his sophomore year.

He turned to gaze at Aelita. His features relaxed as he witnessed her handwriting slow down. The pinkette sighed in relief as she read over her work.

"Okay, I'm satisfied," she said, turning to the pair of boys. "Sorry, Ulrich."

Ulrich lifted an eyebrow quizzically. "What was that all about?"

"A spark of inspiration just hit me.." Aelita glanced furtively at Jeremie and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. "One idea came, then another.. soon, I just couldn't stop writing."

Then, Aelita stretched her arms and back. "Oh." She winced. "I'm a bit sore now.."

"You should rest," suggested Jeremie. He quickly began to pick up the stray pieces of paper that littered the floor.

Aelita nodded in appreciation and sighed, relaxing in her chair. "Jeremie, I see you've already met Ulrich." She placed a gentle hand on Jeremie's shoulder and acknowledged Ulrich with a smile. "Jeremie just flew in from studying in London. He's brilliant."

Jeremie shook his head and smiled bashfully in embarrassment. The tips of his ears took a light pink shade. By then, it was clear to Ulrich that the two of them admired each other greatly. Why, Jeremie even seemed completely smitten with cute pinkette.

"How do you guys know each other?"

"Jeremie runs his family's convenience store just a couple doors down."

"So you're also a blossoming Einstein, huh?" asked Ulrich.

Jeremie shrugged. "Hardly."

"Stop being so humble." Aelita lightly swatted his shoulder. "Jeremie is a professional tutor at a university."

"That's impressive."

Jeremie chuckled. "With all the flattery aside, do you mind gracing our ears with what you were just working on, Aelita?"

"Do you mind?" The pinkette turned to face Ulrich. "Then in that case, your assignment for today will be assessing and analyzing my piece of work."

Ulrich shrugged. "Sure, why not."

Aelita nodded and took a deep breath to compose herself. Looking down at her paper, she read, rather nervously:

"To believe is to know that  
every day is a new beginning.  
Is to trust that miracles happen,  
and dreams really do come true."

Aelita looked up to gaze at the pair of boys. The two had prodding, encouraging looks on their faces, urging her continue. Grinning, she looked down at her paper once more.

"To believe is to see angels  
dancing among the clouds,  
To know the wonder of a stardust sky  
and the wisdom of the man in the moon.

"To believe is to know the value of a nurturing heart,  
The innocence of a child's eyes  
and the beauty of an aging hand,  
for it is through their teachings we learn to love."

"Aelita..." Jeremie was speechless. "That was _beautiful_. I admire your diction."

Aelita blushed, placing the paper gently on her desk. "Thank you so much."

She then turned to look at Ulrich with an expectant expression on her face. "What do you think?"

"I liked it," Ulrich tersely replied. "Even though I'm not a big fan of poetry."

"Would you care to share your interpretation?" she asked.

"I think you're trying to tell people to value new beginnings," Ulrich explained, suddenly nostalgic about his moment with Yumi a short while ago. "Because life is nice in that way."

Aelita let out a shaky breath of relief. It almost seemed like she was about to cry as she looked wistfully out the window.

"Hey, what's wrong?" asked Jeremie.

"...Have you ever had a dream so beautiful and close to your heart that it's all you really wanted to do with your life?" Aelita quietly asked.

"Uh.. not really," Ulrich replied with a shrug.

"I guess I am a sort of antiquated woman." She sighed. "I wrote that poem mostly because I've been feeling discouraged lately.."

Aelita then chuckled to herself in disbelief, and shook her head. "I would love to write poetry for a living, but it's really just a crazy dream."

"Not to me," said Ulrich. "It actually sounds pretty cool."

Aelia's lip quivered as she smiled in gratitude. "Thank you, Ulrich. You remind me so much of Ferdinand..."

Ulrich lifted an eyebrow, suddenly caught off guard. "I do?"

"You've both been very kind to me." Aelita nodded. "And your Uncle always was the one to encourage me to do what I love.."

Ulrich didn't know what to say as Aelita's eyes flickered with nostalgia. Ferdinand really was an amazing person. Ulrich never considered himself to be even close to his uncle in terms of character, since he was such a jerk back in Kadic.

But that was his old self. What kind of person was he now?

Ulrich realized that Seth was right in sending him here.

* * *

Evie greeted Ulrich when he came home for the day. The grey cat circled around his feet, and, despite his exhaustion, the brunette went down on his knees to tend to her.

"I'm guessing you're hungry, right?" He scratched the back of her ears and chuckled to himself as she purred from delight. "I'll take that as a yes."

Evie silently followed behind Ulrich as he went into the kitchen to retrive the bag of cat food from one of the cupboards that were mounted against the wall. He then grabbed a small silver bowl with "Evie" inscribed into it from the dish rack.

"But only a little, okay?" Ulrich started filling the bowl, dismissive towards the fact that he was speaking to an animal. "I don't think Uncle wants a fat cat."

When he placed the bowl at his feet, Evie immediately dug in. Something about watching her eat seemed oddly satisfying to Ulrich, so he sat down himself. He was pretty much unwinding after an eventful day.

Suddenly, his thoughts were trailing off towards Yumi. Eventually, he wasn't really paying much attention anymore as he occupied himself with blissful thoughts.

But then, there was a groan. "Ngh.."

_Thud._

Startled, Ulrich sat up straight, his heart pounding from the loud noise. "Ferdinand?"

Evie all of a sudden started meowing and pawing franctically at his knees. Taking that as a sign of urgency, Ulrich quickly got up and dashed towards the living room. "Ferdinand?" he called again.

Ferdinand was laying backfirst on the rug, his right hand clutching the left side of his chest. A broken vase of pretty sunflowers laid next to him, knocked over from atop the nearby coffee table.

Ulrich grew pale at the sight. "Ferdinand! Can you hear me?" He shook the older man's shoulder.

Ferdinand's face was scrunched in pain—but he was still moving.

"I'm going to call Aelita, okay?!" Ulrich squeezed his Uncle's hand in comfort, trying hard not to cry as he panicked over the fact that each minute desperately counted. Then, with one last painful glance, he took off.

* * *

The machines beeped steadily as Ferdinand laid sleeping in the white and sterile hospital. Ulrich was settled in a chair next to him, gazing intently at the older man's chest as it slowly rose and fell with every breath.

Ferdinand was okay. He almost couldn't believe it.

Sighing, Ulrich turned to his right. Aelita, Jeremie, Emily, William, and Hiroki had already left after sending their prayers and condolences. So only Yumi remained, and she was sound asleep beside the window. Her black hair hung in curtains, concealing her pretty face.

The events before then were hectic. Everyone rushed into William's truck despite the lack of space. At the back of their minds, they knew that Ferdinand could possibly not make it this time.

Ulrich then sent a voice message to his father after he didn't answer the first few calls. Then he vaguely remembered Yumi holding and squeezing his hands in comfort.

"Eugh..."

Ulrich sat up to the sound of Ferdinand's voice. He immediately rushed to his side. Ferdinand's eyelids fluttered before he could fully open them. Ulrich sighed in relief.

"Ulrich.." Ferdinand trailed off. "Is that really you, my boy?"

"Uncle," Ulrich choked out. "We thought we lost you back there."

The old man smiled sadly. "But Ulrich.. I can feel it," he said.

"Feel what?" Ulrich quirked an eyebrow.

He replied impassively, "My passing."

Ulrich's heart skipped a beat. "No... You're lying." His entire body trembled.

Ferdinand shook his head. "Please don't worry, my boy."

"_Don't worry_? How can I possibly do that? You don't deserve this!"

Ferdinand let out a weak smile. "I'll finally be with my late wife..."

Ulrich blinked, momentarily deviating from the main point of the conversation. "You were married?" All along, he thought that Ferdinand was some kind of recluse. His heart pulsed as everything finally hit home.

"I was, very happily married." Ferdinand's expression suddenly grew nostalgic. "You don't think a grown man like me would decorate his home with sunflowers and bright yellow motifs, do you?"

As the old man chortled to himself, Ulrich frowned. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Ferdinand tried to force out an even bigger smile. "Her name was Flora. The flower bed was in memory of her. Ulrich, I am eternally grateful for your help."

As Ferdinand took his hand, Ulrich squeezed it without hesitation.

But suddenly, Ferdinand's expression fell. "Oh, dear.."

He grunted loudly in pain. And almost simultaneously, the machine started beeping loudly, showing that he was quickly deteriorating into a critical state. All sign of color left Ulrich's face in an instant.

"I need a doctor!" he screamed. As he turned around to run into the hallway to gather some help, Ferdinand found a bout of strength and gripped his hand even tighter, not letting him go.

"You've grown a lot ever since you came here," he whispered weakly. "Please live on as a good man. Make your uncle proud. And take care of Yumi.."

As Ferdinand struggled to stay conscious, tears were suddenly trailing down Ulrich's cheeks. He was desperate. "No, Ferdinand!" he shrieked. "_Stop_!"

Then, the doctors came running in. Two strong arms wrapped around the brunette and pulled him away from Ferdinand as he gathered Yumi's scent. But he screamed and kicked, resisting. "FERDINAND, DON'T LEAVE US!"

"Heart's failing!" yelled a doctor as he began a cardiac massage. "We need the defibrillators ASAP!"

Ferdinand smiled weakly at Ulrich as the distance between them grew. It was like he couldn't feel any pain anymore, as if his soul had already left his body. He then gave a small wave and and mouthed two words, bringing the teen into a bout of sobs.

"_Goodbye, Ulrich_."

* * *

**Author's Note: Don't forget to review! I would love to get to a 100 before the end of this story.. :)**


	13. Impassiveness

**Just a few more chapters to go! (: Big thanks to Yuoaj009, Bluedog197, It'sNotMe, nohandleonthings17, The Eccentric Gamer, MonkeyQueen88YT, SincerelyyYourss, and SecretCodeLyokan for your wonderful reviews! I'm so sorry for the emotional roller coaster, guys! D:**

* * *

"Pain is a relatively objective, physical phenomenon; suffering is our psychological resistance to what happens. Events may create physical pain, but they do not in themselves create suffering. Resistance creates suffering. Stress happens when your mind resists what is... The only problem in your life is your mind's resistance to life as it unfolds. "

― Dan Millman

* * *

Chapter 13: Impassiveness

Ulrich took a swig of the rootbeer he purchased from the hospital's vending machine. He slushed it around in his mouth for a little bit, made a sour face, then spat it on the sidewalk.

"Blech," he said. Ulrich now knew why the brand was generic and unheard of.

The hospital had a backdoor that he took which led to two front steps, and he sat on the higher one. Thankfully, the place had a nice little awning that sheltered him from the now pouring rain. Watching the water droplets fall was supposed to be therapeutic, but the brunette only felt numb.

Ulrich pursed his lips as tightly as he could, feeling a lump rise within his throat. He placed his lips on the bottle's opening and tilted his head back, stubbornly taking another sip.

But Ulrich only spat once again as his breaths grew sharp and erratic. He pursed his lips, and his body shook as the tears silently flowed down his cheeks. In anger, he banged a fist against the wall.

The door behind him squeaked, and Ulrich didn't spare a glance. He quickly wiped his face against his sleeve and turned to face his left as the intruder—Yumi—sat to his right.

The raven-haired beauty leaned in and wrapped her arms around him. Ulrich remained unmoving, causing her to clear her throat awkwardly and pull away.

Yumi dropped her hands into her lap. "I used to come to this exact spot everyday when my grandmother was recovering one summer," she said. She smiled and laughed in nostalgia. "I went here to sulk, because I was scared that she wasn't going to make it."

Ulrich only furrowed his eyebrows and continued to stare ahead.

Yumi continued, undeterred, "She always told me, 'Relax, Yumi-chan. I'm going to be okay.' But I was so young and stubborn, so I didn't listen to her, of course." She chuckled again.

"I don't see how this is going to make me feel any better," Ulrich remarked bitterly. He took a swig of his rootbeer and forced himself to swallow. "Ferdinand's gone."

Yumi snatched the bottle out of his hand with a smirk, and Ulrich didn't even have it in him to protest. Shrugging, she took a sip herself, but pursed her lips at the bad taste. "I think this rootbeer's bad."

Ulrich almost laughed.

Yumi placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and smiled softly at him. She then rested her other hand on top of Ulrich's hands. She started again, "After she was released, my grandmother told me that if she had passed away, she would want to see me smiling from up there." She pointed towards the sky.

No response from Ulrich. Sighing exsperatedly, Yumi placed her hands on his shoulders, forcibly turned him around to face her, and stared at him hard in the eye.

"Do you think your Uncle would want to see you crying-" (Ulrich wrinkled his nose at the word) "-or smiling through all the pain? I don't know if you realize it, but he's watching over us right now." Yumi shook him hard. "Be strong for him, _please_."

The two of them remained in that position for the next few moments. Then Ulrich's cellphone rung. As he silently reached into his pants pocket to retrieve it, Yumi let out a breath of disbelief and disappeared back inside the hospital.

It was his father. "What do you want?" he deadpanned, standing up.

"I can see my son's as disrespectful as ever," said Seth, causing Ulrich's entire body to shake with sudden anger. "You called me?"

"You should've picked up when I did," Ulrich spat. "Ferdinand had a heart attack, and now he's dead, you asshole."

"I was at a meeting, god dammit." Seth's voice didn't contain any hints of sadness or sympathy, almost as if he didn't care.

Ulrich laughed in astonishment. "You don't even care, do you?"

"He's my _brother_, of course I care!"

"Don't expect me to believe that, you don't even care about your own son," Ulrich retorted. "You hadn't checked up on me for _days_."

Silence. "I'm coming to pick you up," his father tersely demanded.

"No, I'm staying here," said Ulrich, just as firm. "For Ferdinand. Anything to get away from _you_."

"I'm coming in the morning, and that's that. There's no point in staying with Ferdinand gone."

And before Ulrich could, Seth cut the line.

* * *

A black sports car pulled up in front of Ferdinand's cottage the next morning. Ulrich narrowed his eyes in disclination when he spotted it out his bedroom window.

He exhaled deeply. He was resolute in staying inside the house. A series of heavy clomps, however, caught his attention as they got louder and closer. Then they stopped.

"Your father's here," said Yumi as she leaned against the doorframe.

"I know," Ulrich replied through clenched teeth, not even turning his head to look at her. "But I'm not going down there."

Yumi crossed her arms and shot him a condescending look. "Oh, yes, you are," she said. "Stay in here, and you prove to him that you're some ungrateful, spoiled child."

Ulrich pressed his lips together. He hated it when Yumi was right.

"Don't you think Uncle would've wanted you to obey your father?" she added.

The brunette looked up to gaze at Yumi, still disraught over the few memories he had of the man. In response, her harsh expression turned into a tiny smile, and at that moment, his hardened heart began to melt also at the sight of her simplistic beaty. She looked so good in the soft morning light.

Puffing his chest, Ulrich reluctantly pulled away the covers and got up from his bed. Yumi nodded in approval and held out a hand, gesturing him to take it.

And he did. Her slim fingers intertwined with his, and even for the first time, their hands fit together perfectly.

And just like that, she led the way.

* * *

"Son."

Ulrich gazed at his father with bitterness in his heart. It had only been close to a week since he last saw him, so he looked no different from last time. Which was disappointing.

"Father," he replied. Sometimes he wished Seth would call him by his actual name.

Yumi shifted her gaze between Ulrich and his father apprehensively. She bit her lip as she noticed that the pair made sure to keep a distance from each other, and barely even exchanged at least a handshake.

"I see you've made a new friend," his father pointed out, sizing Yumi up.

The girl cracked an amused smile, then held out a hand. "Actually, sir," she began as they awkwardly shook hands, "I'm dating your son. Yumi Ishiyama, pleased to meet you." Her expression fell. "I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Thank you very much," Seth impassively replied. When they pulled away, he cleared his throat. Ulrich meanwhile blinked, rendered speechless by her straightforwardness.

"What about Ms. Delmas?" he asked cautiously.

"Oh, I can assure you that that's over," Yumi answered with a serious nod.

Seth straightened his posture. It was hard to tell whether or not he approved of this new relationship. "I see... Well, son, are you ready to go?"

Ulrich furrowed his eyebrows, his expression getting more intense by the second. Yumi inhaled deeply, suddenly tense, and placed a hand on his shoulder for comfort. Ulrich shook it off.

"I'll _never_ forgive you, _Seth_," Ulrich spat.

Ulrich's father pressed his lips together in one thin line and his eyes softenened with guilt. Ulrich didn't believe it for a second, so he simply turned on his heel and began his walk back inside.

"Ulrich," Yumi called.

But he didn't listen. He just kept on going. When he was finally in his room again, he collapsed onto his bed with a large exhale.

His lips quivered as a lump rose in his throat. Refusing to cry, he focused his gaze out the window, towards the pretty plethora of colors that adorned the surrounding trees. Then he looked down at the flower bed.

A few of the sprouts were just beginning to wilt from lack of care.

Ulrich sighed.

He'll really miss this place.

* * *

**Author's Note: I'm sorry this was so short, I'll try to post the next chapter within a week. :) Please please please review! Like I said, I'd love it if we got to a 100. :D**


	14. Rewind

**I'm so so sorry for the long break guys! Life's been rough, but I'm ready to start again!**

**I've recently finished typing up the rest of this story, so expect weekly updates from now on! :)**

* * *

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that."

-Martin Luther King Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches

* * *

Chapter 14: Rewind

_Two Months Later_

The prestigious gates of Kadic Academy welcomed students once again amidst the changing colors of autumn.

Ulrich's fingers moved to adjust his tie one last time before entering his first class, AP Chemistry. The atmosphere noticeably silenced with his presence, and he kept his head hung while occupying a seat in the back. It was clear he was the talk of the town.

Without expression, the brunette settled his gaze on the textbook in front of him. He resolved in his mind that he was disinterested in what people thought of him now - all that mattered was that he still couldn't let go of the recent events that transpired that dejected summer. He tensed his forehead while refusing to acknowledge any of his classmates, occupied by his own thoughts.

"Hey, Stern," started Mathias Burel with a repulsive laugh. Ulrich didn't move. "What was it like, being a farmer? I didn't know your family was struggling to scrape by."

Ulrich clenched his fists, then unclenched them. He repeated the actions in attempt to calm himself. He kept his gaze on the book.

But his classmate wouldn't stop. "I heard you were working for your uncle. He settles for that type of work, huh?" There were a few bursts of laughter in response to the remark.

Ulrich's heart began to pound, and his head heated up. But Mathias still wouldn't let it go.

"I didn't know he was some dumb hillbilly-"

Cutting Mathias off, there was a slam, then a scream.

It was almost as if a switch went off within Ulrich.

In one fluid move, Ulrich had Mathias by his tie, forced up against the wall. The bespectacled teen began to gag - because the brunette was so much taller than him, he had him off his feet.

"Say that again," Ulrich hissed through clenched teeth. The look in his eyes was so dark, a bead of sweat rolled down from Mathias' temple. "I _dare _you."

Mathias pitifully shook in Ulrich's grasp. Much too soon, a pair of arms pulled him away from Mathias by his midsection. Ulrich stumbled back while Mathias collapsed to the floor, taking in deep breaths.

Ulrich spun around only to meet Odd's consoling, sympathetic eyes. It seemed as if he just entered the classroom; his books were settled in the seat beside Ulrich's. Having interrupted the small fight, he was the only one that knew of Ferdinand's passing.

With a large exhale of breath, Ulrich faced Mathias' fallen figure again. "You can say whatever crap you want to say about me," he began venomously, "but if you say shit about my uncle, you can _guarantee _that you'll never see the light of day again."

Ulrich got many looks of admiration as he returned to his seat. He slouched in his chair and stared at the blank whiteboard ahead of him, a little more relaxed now that Odd was with him.

The peppy blonde reassuringly patted his back. "You okay, good buddy? I would've let you beat Burel up, but he isn't a fair match now, is he?"

Ulrich laughed in disbelief with a shake of his head. "I didn't know you signed up for this class."

"I just transferred in." Odd shrugged. "It seemed like your tutor helped you out a lot, so now I can copy off your notes!"

Over the remaining summer, Ulrich visited Aelita at least three days a week to continue his tutoring sessions. And while he was in Ashwick Grove, he also kept the flowerbed alive in memory of his late uncle.

The seats in the small classroom were quickly filling up. Ulrich checked the wall clock; there was one more minute until the bell. Ulrich thought that that was all of them, but the door opened once again to admit one last student.

She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. A thick head of short, black hair gently framed her face, and the pleats of her skirt swished around her long legs. Her blazer wrapped around her willowy frame nicely, and her dark, almond-shaped eyes were alluring and beguiling.

She was like a dream to him. A memory, a fleeting thought. He wanted to reach out to her, to love her, but it was much too soon. He didn't acknowledge her at all for the remaining summer despite her numerous attempts to make contact with him. He knew he didn't deserve it.

Regardless, when she didn't say anything even at the sight of him, he was still taken aback and disappointed. What he was expecting, he didn't know. Did she give up on him?

For the rest of class, he just sat in his seat, dazed. Mrs. Hertz's instruction didn't make it through his head at all. When the bell rang, Yumi got up from her seat with a sigh. When she entered the classroom this morning, she was looking forward to seeing Ulrich. But seeing his tense expression and hunched posture signaled to her that he didn't want to talk, so she didn't do a thing. She had no idea what she was expecting, either.

She lingered as the rest of their classmates filed out of the room. The past lovers met gazes for a split second. Ulrich opened his mouth as if to say something, and Yumi smiled gently at him, urging him to speak.

But nothing was said. The ever-so-popular Ulrich was quickly forced out of the room by a horde of classmates, leaving Yumi alone. As she watched his retreating figure disappear, she pressed her books to her chest, closing off her heart.

Ulrich was emotionally unavailable. It was best they forget about each other, as if it was all a fling.

Things were going to go back to the way they were. Yumi was going to have to accept it.

* * *

**Author's Note: Please please leave a review, I want to know what's been up with everyone! :) I miss talking with you all!**


	15. Mended Hearts

**Hi friends! I would like to thank MonkeyQueen88 YT, uxy827, Yuoaj009, Bluedog197, and camilleRomance for their amazing reviews! Their just loyalty blows me away. :)**

**I'm hoping the next chapter doesn't disappoint. ;)**

* * *

Chapter 15: Mended Hearts

It wasn't long before Sissi had her arm looped around Ulrich's. Odd shook his head as he was once again whisked to the side, and many girls looked upon Sissi with envy. As the usual events transpired at Kadic, Ulrich only kept his mind on Yumi.

He still loved her. His feelings hadn't changed at all. He felt restricted and his chest hurt as they looked at each other in that classroom like they were strangers. As much as he refused to admit it, it was all true.

She was someone he could share his burdens with. She taught him how to be open-minded and sympathetic and hardworking. She taught him how to love. He had never been happier in his life.

But did she feel the same way? Knowing Yumi, she wasn't going to let herself be pushed around. She was probably done with him after the way he had treated her in recent months.

"_Take care of Yumi_," a voice suddenly whispered in his head. It didn't take Ulrich long to remember his dying uncle's last request.

Just when he was about to give up, he realized he had to at least try. Ferdinand and Yumi would be satisfied with his perseverance. Shaking Sissi off, and ignoring her displeased whines, he broke off into a sprint for the chemistry room.

But it was empty.

Before he could process his disappointment, Ulrich left the room as quickly as he came. The halls were absolutely congested with students, all wearing the same colors and uniforms. The thought of finding Yumi, just one girl, overwhelmed him to the point where he just felt like letting her go.

Ulrich glanced at the wall clock. He had just five minutes before the next class. He sprinted down the hallway, then paused for a little to search the area. Sprint, then pause. Repeat.

_Three minutes_.

"Ulrich."

Ulrich turned to the familiar voice.

_Yumi_.

The beauty that was Yumi Ishiyama caused a multitude of emotions to pummel him all at once, leaving him breathless. She was standing tall, with her hands wrapped tightly around her backpack straps to the point where her knuckles turned white. The look on her face was serious, almost frustrating as she had her lips pressed tightly together.

He was too scared to touch her. He was scared of violating her, he was scared that she was just a dream. He was scared that she would just disappear.

But she stayed there, motionless.

Yumi broke her gaze with him to look down at her feet. "Aren't you going to do something?" she asked, almost irritatedly. "Anything at all?"

_Two minutes._

Ulrich clenched his fists. He was hurt, and so was she. Was she going to accept him again?

"You bastard," she continued, looking into his eyes again. After all we've been through, I expected-"

In just four large strides, Ulrich closed the distance between them two, and wrapped his arms around her tightly. Yumi gasped and surrendered, falling into his chest. She shut her eyes tightly as he began to stroke her hair.

The two of them relaxed their tense bodies while they were close to each other again. As fellow Kadicans rushed to their next classes, they stayed like that, as if in a trance.

Then slowly but surely, Yumi wrapped her arms around Ulrich's waist, letting her heart bloom like a million red roses. Ulrich held her even tighter.

_"Is this what comrades do?"_

_"Probably not."_

* * *

**Author's Note: I guess you can say I was influenced by Korean dramas this time. xD Please don't forget to leave a review, I love you guys. :D**


	16. Epilogue

**Here it is! The conclusion of "Reformed Anew." :) Big thanks to camilleRomance, Bluedog197, MonkeyQueen88 YT, The Eccentric Gamer, uxy827, and Yuoaj009 for your reviews! Literally I can't express my appreication in words. :)**

**Bluedog197, I wish I could personally tell you how much I enjoy and appreciate reading your reviews since you don't have an account on here. :')**

* * *

Epilogue

_Dear Ulrich,_

_Things have been going well ever since you left, thanks for asking. The leaves are finally falling from the trees, and I'm starting a new batch of eggnog that should be finished by the time you and Yumi get here._

_I'll try my best to sum up everything that's been happening._

_Jeremie and Aelita are finally dating. It took a lot of pushing on Aelita's part, but Jeremie bravely confessed his feelings for her right before he left for his plane to London. How sweet! He'll be coming home tomorrow._

_A lot of magazines are finally picking up Aelita's poems, by the way. She's becoming quite popular, like we all expected. Next week, she's going to a workshop for a few days to mentor aspiring writers._

_William is growing into a fine man. He's very helpful around the flower shop. I'm finding him more and more attractive by the day. Please wish me luck in the so-called 'love department.'_

_Most of all, Ferdinand's home has been turned into a memorial for him and his wife. He's touched the hearts of many, and we all wanted to commemorate that. I hope you're feeling better, by the way. It's okay to grieve, but be sure to surround yourself with the people you love._

_So, yes. Things are going well. We all miss you, though. We'll see each other soon._

_Much Love,_

_Emily._

Ulrich smiled to himself as he set the card down beside the large vase of orchids Emily also sent. Standing next to him at his feet was a large suitcase; he was going to return to Ashwick Grove in just a few hours for the winter holidays with his love.

"Ready?" he asked.

Yumi walked up beside him with her duffel and nodded. Hand-in-hand, they walked out into the frigid winter morning.

Snow was just beginning to stick to the ground. Much of it flew around in small flurries. "It's beautiful," Yumi said, admiring the visible puffs of air that left her mouth. Her nose was just beginning to take a pink hue, and her smile never quite reached her eyes because of the cold.

Ulrich turned to look at her. What was even more beautiful to him was Yumi Ishiyama herself. Snowflakes decorated her hair like a crown.

"It looks like you're getting cold, though," he mused.

"I'm fine," she quickly replied. Going against what she said, she hunched her shoulders and stuffed her hands into her pockets. She buried her chin even deeper into her scarf. With his mittened hands, Ulrich cupped her flushed cheeks. Yumi's face relaxed at his warm touch.

"Liar." He smirked.

Yumi rolled her eyes. She then tip-toed to give him a short peck, but Ulrich held her close to him, with no way of escape. Yumi gasped, but quickly recovered, surrendering to the kiss.

"Let's stay like this for a little while," Ulrich mumbled softly against her lips, closing his eyes in peaceful bliss. "Emily can wait."

* * *

**Author's Note: And that's it! Please don't forget to leave me your thoughts in the review section! :) By the way, friends, I've been working very hard on a rewrite of "Passion, Drugs, and Vengeance." It's another dramatic AU where the Lyoko Warriors are all doctors in a hospital. :D The first chapter should be up soon. :) Maybe you'll like it a lot better than this story. ;) I'd really love your guys' support! :DD**

**Deleted scenes will be up tomorrow. :)**


	17. Deleted Scenes

**Ahh I am so relieved to hear that many of you liked the ending! :D Thank you soo much to Bluedog197, It'sNotMe, Yuoaj009, and camilleRomance for reviewing. :) Here are the deleted scenes. :)**

**It'sNotMe: Yes, "Passion Drugs, and Vengeance" is back to chapter 1, lol. I'm making a pretty drastic rewrite, so check it out, if you like. :)**

* * *

Deleted Scenes

**1\. Ulrich's Escape Attempt #1**

Shortly after Ulrich was told he was going to the farm, he storms off to his room and escapes through the window. From there, he goes to the cafe where his friends were hanging out to celebrate the end of the year. He searches for Odd to ask him if he could stay at his house for the rest of summer, but Seth eventually finds him. Ulrich is dragged out of the cafe.

**2\. Ulrich's Escape Attempt #2**

During the drive to Ashwick Grove, Ulrich's limo gets stuck in quicksand. Ulrich takes the chance to escape, but bodyguards (hired by Seth) catch him before he could make any significant progress. One of the men inform Ulrich that all this was just a test set up by Seth, and that Ulrich has failed. The limo ditches him as a result and Ulrich has to walk the rest of the way.

I ended up not adding Ulrich's escape attempts because I thought this kind of resistance would be out of tune with Ulrich's normally chill/easygoing personality.

**3\. Winter, Not Summer**

For a while I was considering making this story take place over the winter holidays. Can y'all just imagine how much fluff there can be? I even went as far as typing a few scenes, like a winter gala and a snowball fight. :) It was a while ago, though, so I'm not even sure if I still have them.

**4\. Willumi**

William and Yumi were dating. Ulrich, thinking that Yumi was some anti-social goth, was shocked by the news. After much conflict, the two break up. And eventually, Yumi and Ulrich fall in love. I even had some scenes written down with this idea in play. I ended up omitting it to make way for Emily/William. :)

**5\. Odd At Ashwick Grove**

Odd was going to be at Ashwick Grove with Ulrich, and the two work through all the toil together. However, I didn't want to divert the focus from Ulrich, so I ended up tossing the idea.

**6\. Public Love Confession**

In the last chapter, Ulrich was supposed to publicly confess his feelings for Yumi in the hallways of Kadic. This scene was pretty out of character, I realized, since Ulrich normally wouldn't call much attention to himself. And the idea is more cheesy than touching.

**7\. Odd the Jerk**

Odd was going to be the same as all of Ulrich's other fake friends. He was going to be that jerk that would always criticize Ulrich's behavior, in a lighthearted way. I even have the scenes typed up for this. But I love Odd, so I spared him lol.

* * *

**Please please please look forward to future fics, it'll mean the world to me! I'm currently doing a rewrite of my new story, "Passion, Drugs, and Vengeance," so please check it out when it's published! You all might like it even better than this one. :) It's a medical drama! ;)**

**I am enormously grateful for all the love and support I got from this story, you guys are the best. :) I love you guys! :) *kisses***

**-toastedCroissants**


End file.
